


In Bloom

by MobiAblackout



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Girlfriends/No Wives, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Drunk Sex, Falling In Love, Flowers, Fluff and Angst, Friends With Benefits To Lovers, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Nobody is Dead, Realistic, Sex, leo is discovering neymar, mention of smoking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2019-10-04 20:30:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 45,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17311379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MobiAblackout/pseuds/MobiAblackout
Summary: Leo will find out the real reason why Neymar left Barcelona.According to Dani Alves, Leo is assured that Neymar is dead. The old Neymar may well be but the new Neymar is alive and well.





	1. Visiting Graves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You know, if you're visiting the dead, it's customary to bring flowers." Leo closes his eyes and lets those words sink in. He's not heard that voice in weeks, so many weeks; it feels like a balm of sorts, soft and calming. "Why are you here?" He looks at him, for the first time in months.

"It's been a while since we've hung out." Leo nods. But it's not the real reason he's in Paris, in Dani Alves' house, the reason is he really wanted to know from the other man. It had been burning in the back of his mind, all the way through their conversation.

"Is he okay?" He asks.

"Who?" Leo almost smiles, who indeed, did he really need to ask?

"Ney." At this Dani laughs and shakes his head.

"Neymar is dead, man." The smile on his face is easy-going and free but the look in his eyes is hard and cold.

"Sure, he is." Leo nods, Dani's smile doesn't waiver and his eyes don't soften. He appreciates that Neymar at least has Dani but if he had a choice he would have wanted both of them by his side; and loyalty is something so rare in this business, an honest bond in a world of falsehood and lies. "What he die of?"

"Gonorrhoea." Dani says, nothing in his tone changes, light and easy, as though this was a mildly amusing truth and Leo stands, holding back a sigh. He'd known there would be no point in asking Alves, you'd get more answers out of an actual corpse than the man Neymar calls his best friend. "It was good to see you again, man." Dani stands and seems to be ushering him out, a brief hug and then his door closed in Leo's face.

He hadn't meant to come here, what he'd meant to do was go back to the hotel, get ready for the match. Yet, here he is, his hand hovering over the call button, wondering what the hell he's doing. Neymar has made it clear that he doesn't want to talk to anyone about what's happened, doesn't want to explain his actions, the stonewalling from Dani confirms that as surely as the unreturned text messages and ignored calls do.

"You know, if you're visiting the dead, it's customary to bring flowers." Leo closes his eyes and lets those words sink in. He's not heard that voice in weeks, so many weeks; it feels like a balm of sorts, soft and calming. "Why are you here?" He looks at him, for the first time in months.

"Aren't you gonna invite me in?" Leo leans against the door and lets his eyes roam over the other man. His natural brown curly hair looks good on him, he looks good, even if he is dressed ridiculously, shorts, in a Paris winter and two coats, one of which Leo vaguely remembers seeing laying on the back of Dani's couch, more than likely he was there the whole time, listening in.

"No." His tone is short and clipped. He walks up the steps and stands by Leo. "Why are you here?"

"I..." Leo sighs and shakes his head. "You change your number or you just ignoring me?" Neymar laughs and opens the door, not closing it behind him, an invitation to follow him into his home.

"Not talking would be an indication, to most everyone else, I wasn't interested in them." He says as he toes off his shoes and starts up the stairs, not looking back, trusting that Leo would be behind him. The heavy door closing sounds incredibly loud in the deserted stairwell, Leo hangs his coat by the door and kicks off his sneakers. Neymar leads the way into his home, Leo trailing behind, eyes focused on his back. Leo has never been here, the house is completely different from his own, where there are things here and there but it doesn't feel lived in, here the main room feels different, less like a place where someone crashes and more like somewhere someone lives. A dirty mug forgotten on the table, cushions scattered on the floor where they've been kicked, the remote for the TV on the arm of the couch instead of by the set, little things that make a house feel like a home.

"I'm not most everyone else." Leo says, smiles slightly as Neymar takes off his coats, throwing them on the couch and stepping closer.

"No, I guess not." It's been weeks since they've kissed, weeks since Leo has tasted this man and yet it feels exactly the same, his body moves in exactly the same way, his hands harsh and demanding as always, tugging on his hair, clutching at his shoulders.

"I want answers from you, you know." Leo says between kisses, his own hands groping at the other man, squeezing his ass.

"Hmm?" Neymar smirks lazily, there are times when this man reminds Leo of a sphinx, all riddles and mysteries and yet he expects nothing but the truth from others. Neymar starts walking backwards, leading the way to the bedroom, the few previous occasions Leo has been in his previous house, bedroom was the only place he really saw. Each visit had been hurried, their relationship something started on a whim and never defined beyond mutually beneficial encounters, occasional advice and the warning that if Neymar was looking to advance his career with sex, he was barking up the wrong tree, Leo wasn't influential enough to be of any benefit. When questioned on what he got out of the relationship, all Leo had gotten was one of those confusing sphinx riddles and a headache from trying to understand.

In the bedroom, Leo stares at him, at a loss for words, stares and strokes his cheek. Neymar strips and sits on the bed, eyebrow raised. Leo still stares, not quite sure how to proceed. Neymar sighs, changes position and looks at him, eyes all narrowed and tense; body sprawled and relaxed, at total odds with himself.

"What?" Leo asks, fidgeting slightly, there are times when Neymar looks at him like he's under a microscope, times when that stare is too much to endure, makes him feel uncomfortable and small, like a transfer student being introduced half-way through term.

"I'll answer one." He says, shifting to prop himself up, head in one hand, displayed like he was going to ask Leo to paint him like a French girl. One question, Leo shakes his head and makes himself busy with undressing, pulling his shirt over his head, the rest of his clothes following quickly. He gets on the bed, kneels in front of the other man and regards him carefully. One question.

"Why?" Neymar laughs softly and moves, kneels opposite him and kisses Leo carefully, one hand in his hair, no other contact beyond that and lips. His eyes shining with glee as he pulls away.

"Because." Leo scowls, hands grabbing at his shoulders, pulling back and kissing him thoroughly.

"Not an answer." He growls against Neymar's lips, kissing him once more.

"Not really a question though, was it?" Neymar laughs softly and withdraws from him, moves up the bed and opens a drawer in the nightstand, throwing a bottle of lube at Leo. "It's what you're here for right?" He asks, a lazy smirk on his lips. Leo catches the bottle and shrugs. He pulls at Neymar's ankle, forcing him to lie flat on his stomach.

"Maybe, maybe not." Leo presses soft kisses over his shoulders and strokes his firm little ass; he missed this man's ass. Is it the only reason he's here, maybe, maybe not but it's certainly a part of the motivation.

"Maybe not?" Neymar asks, laughter in his tone, Leo kisses his shoulder again and opens the lube, coating his fingers and parting Neymar's ass cheeks, pressing one finger into his hole. Neymar groans, his knees come up under himself, shifting to rest on his hands and knees whilst Leo preps him.

"Want you." Leo mutters against his back as he fucks into him, balls against his ass and Neymar's fingers clenching in the bedclothes.

"Easy, it's been a while." He hisses and Leo withdraws, pressing apologetic kisses to his shoulder blades. He guides Neymar to his back, spreads his legs and lines up with his hole carefully.

"Missed you." Leo breaths against his lips, brushing their mouths together softly, leaning back and cupping his face. "Missed this." He moves his hips back and forth a few times easing back into Neymar's body, then stills, fully sheathed inside the other man's body, feeling him relax and adjust to being filled with Leo's cock.

"I see." He says dryly, eyes narrowed and focused on Leo's own, his lips twisted in a wry little smirk.

"You miss me?" He asks, kissing his cheek and moving down to press kisses to his throat, worrying a small mark there. Neymar doesn't complain, it surprises Leo, he always complains about having to get cover-up done. Leo rests his forehead against Neymar's, not much chance of him coming back tonight, possibly any night, Leo thinks as he examines the mark. "Do you?"

"Hmm, I could be persuaded into it." He mutters, hips bucking, hands trailing up Leo's back to tangle in his hair, drawing him down for another kiss. Leo indulges the kiss, keeping it slow, in time with the gentle rocking of his hips. This isn't like the other times he's fucked Neymar, this is something else, something softer, more careful. His own words, that Neymar barking up the wrong tree for a leg up in his career, comes back to him. Maybe even back then, Neymar had been planning on leaving, only this isn't about Neymar's career, it never was. It's something ill defined and mutually beneficial. He stares down at the other man's face, his eyes barely open but staring at him, a heavy dark gaze, the weight of it curiously comforting. Leo kisses him and speeds up, thrusting in earnest into the other man's body, Neymar's back arching as he brushes against his prostate.

"You like that?" Leo asks, quietly smug. "You like my fat cock fucking your pretty little ass?" Neymar's eyes snap open; he squirms out from under Leo, shoves him onto his back and grabs his cock, lowering himself onto it.

"If I wanted shitty dialogue, I'd watch porn. Shut up." Leo attempts a laugh but the tight warmth of Neymar's body robs him of amusement. The other man sets the pace hard and fast, riding Leo with practiced ease. It's almost impossible to believe that Neymar isn't some kind of well-practiced whore but the tightness of his body suggests otherwise, unless he only fucks very small cocks. Neymar pinches one of Leo's nipples, bringing his attention from his thoughts and back on Neymar. "Pay attention to me." He snaps and Leo nods, taking Neymar's cock in his hand, stroking him slowly, at odds with the fast and hard motions of his hips. Leo comes first, body tensing and quivering beneath Neymar, as the other man take a hold of his own cock, brings himself off with quick efficient strokes, coming in his hand quietly, eyes closed and head bowed. Leo takes his hand and licks the cum from it, Neymar groaning softly and rising off of Leo's dick. He sighs and wipes his saliva-dampened hand on the comforter. Leo reaches out and snags his shoulders, pulling him down to rest against Leo's chest. He lies stroking Neymar's sweat dampened hair for some time, feeling the weight and warmth of the body on top of him.

"You coming back? is it possible?" It's a stupid question and the way Neymar tenses and pulls away from him, answers more eloquently than words ever could. "Why'd you leave?" Neymar starts getting dressed, his back staunchly turned. "Don't you miss it?" Leo's own clothes are gathered up in Neymar's arms, when he finally turns to look at him. "Don't you miss this?" His clothes are flung at him and Neymar leaves the room. Leo sighs and gets dressed, he'll shower in the hotel, probably, maybe at least, honestly, he'd like to keep the sweat and cum Neymar spilled on him, a little longer, would like more of it but it seems that Neymar is done, with the Barcelona and everyone there in.

He's waiting by the door, his eyes hard and unreadable, Leo's coat in his hands. He pulls Leo into a brief hug, draping the coat over Leo's shoulders. Leo shakes his head and pulls his jacket on properly and starts walking away, his hands stuffed in his pockets, a piece of paper crinkling beneath one of them. The fuck? He thinks as he pulls the paper out and stares, a cell phone number and the words.

I expect flowers next time - Neymar


	2. Bringing Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The brief thought that perhaps Neymar isn't actually watching the TV but looking at them instead, flickers through Leo's mind but he dismisses it as foolish, that's too sentimental, even for new Neymar. He moves slightly, edges that little bit closer and Leo finds himself nodding aimlessly, staring at the TV, a flash of yellow just on the periphery of his vision.

It takes Leo a few days to get the time and perhaps the courage to try the number Neymar gave him.

Hello - sent 08:00

hello - Ney 08:03

Neymar. Capital letters start sentences; you do know that, right? - sent 08:16

phuk u - Ney 8:18

The reply confirms that at least this number connects to Neymar or someone else as obsessed with attempting to text him in a weird ass way. It fills Leo with something odd and unfamiliar, oddly like relief, as though there had been a part of him that expected Neymar to have given him a number for a pizza place.

I hate you; truly utterly despise you. - sent 08:21

i no butt itz m0r3 phun p1551ng u off :-* - Ney 08:29

Whatever - sent 08:30

When you coming to visit? I need to see if it fits my schedule - Ney 22:56

He doesn't reply for hours and if Leo is honest, he's glad; there'd be no good explanation for why he'd be grinning at his cell phone like an idiot, to himself or anyone else. He's incredibly glad he has a room to himself and can grin as idiotically as he looks at his cell phone.

Sometimes - sent 23:30

and Good night, Ney. - sent 23:59

Remember my flowers! Good night. - Ney 00:08

You do know that you shouldn't start a sentence with a conjunction, right, Leo? - Net 00:17

Fuck you. - sent 00:19

Spur of the moment decisions are the blight of being himself, it wasn't really a conscious decision to get on a plane to Paris without asking Neymar if his home but he checks PSG upcoming matches like a stalker. The visit to the florist with a Walking Dead screen cap on his cell phone, asking for a bunch of flowers in broken French like the ones Lizzie looked at was though. One that might have consequences but then again it might not. The old Neymar wouldn't want flowers in the first place. The new Neymar is a sentimental bitch, the old one was just a bitch, and the later was much easier to deal with. Leo understood the old Neymar as well as anyone could understand him, he was confusing, his words all smoke and mirrors but words can be interpreted, understood with time, not that Leo really put the time in but the potential was there. Whatever it was they had, it was ill defined; it never had a name or clarity, nothing more than two men seeking something mutually beneficial from each other. It wasn't something that he felt needed to be considered overly but now that the old Neymar is gone, now that he's dead, it is perhaps something Leo should consider because the new Neymar apparently has and Leo doesn't understand Neymar in the least.

After pressing the buzzer, the door is opened quickly, as though someone had been standing by it, waiting. Leo starts, adjusting his grip on the flowers in his hand and meeting the gaze of the man at the door.

"Is Ney in?" He asks him and Dani sighs dramatically, leaning against the doorframe.

"Ney is dead." He says slowly, as though talking to a very stupid child. Leo fidgets slightly and meets Dani's gaze, living in Paris turned his friend into an over scrutinizing bastard, all the cold weather affects people, makes them suspicious and judgmental.

"Oh yeah?" The urge to sigh and just leave, comes over Leo at Dani's cold stare but he came here for a reason. He's wasting his only day off this week on this endeavor and no mildly annoying doorman is going to stop him, no matter how much Dani looks at him like a science project gone wrong, he's here to see Neymar. "What he die of?" Dani smirks slightly, whatever he was looking for, he's found. He grabs his jacket, putting it on and stuffing his feet into his shoes, ignoring Leo for the most part until he's straightening his cap.

"Hay fever." He says with a smile that doesn't meet his eyes, as he barges past and talks to the pizza delivery guy who just arrived, pointing up at Leo and making vague shrugging motions. The pizza guy approaches and Leo realizes that he's just been fobbed off with paying. Suspicious, judgmental and cheap bastards in Paris. At least the guy doesn’t want an autograph on a pizza box, actually his acting like he doesn’t know Messi at all.

"The fuck took you so long?" Neymar shouts in Portuguese once Leo closes the front door, no sounds of movement so he's not overly interested in what had been keeping Dani, obviously expecting him to be back eventually. "They send the hot chick again? You know she's gonna keep shooting you down, Dani." Leo doesn't bother answering, instead walking into the living room and dropping the flowers in Neymar's lap.

"$29.95, plus tip." He says clearing the junk; magazines, scraps of paper with random doodles, a couple of coffee cups and empty bottles of beer; to one side of the coffee table and sets the pizza box down.

"Dani was paying not me." Neymar says, suspicious, judgemental, cheap lying bastards are living in freezing hole of a city Leo thinks, scowling slightly at Neymar. He shrugs and opens, taking a slice of pizza and going to the kitchen, returning with soda. He tosses one can to Leo, then sits back down. "Take it up with him."

"You know they call you a backstabbing bitch." Leo mutters, as he sits on Neymar's couch, feeling weird. He didn't come here to eat pizza and have a chitchat, he'd come for a fuck because apparently that offer is still open, he'd even brought the flowers he was asked for but instead he's watching some documentary about some weird fucking cult and sitting beside Neymar. It feels domestic and not at all like how he'd expected the day to go.

"I don’t care; they don’t know a fucking thing about me." Neymar mutters, curling up slightly, edging closer to Leo, looking more and more like he wants Leo to put his arm around his shoulder and pull him in tight. Leo carefully ignores this and steadfastly sips at his soda. The problem with something ill-defined yet mutually beneficial is that it is ill defined, there is no classification for what is and isn't acceptable behavior in this deal. This is a situation Leo never thought he'd find himself in, fucking Neymar wasn't really about having a relationship, it was solely for their mutual benefit.

"No one's saying anything about it; you know, the mood, it’ll change but they are still salty about it." Leo's fishing, hoping to poke and prod some kind of reaction out of Neymar, irritation always resulted in the best fucks but all he does is murmur a soft hmm and take another bite of his slice of pizza. "At first, it was kind of he'll regret it, club will fix it." Another hmm and he seems to shift just a little closer, Leo frowns, glancing over at him but his eyes are unwaveringly fixed on the TV screen. "But now, it's all Neymar is a coward, if he can go play for PSG on the other side of the Europe, why the fuck can't he play for Barcelona, he’s a greedy bastard afraid to be in shadow his entire career." A third hmm and Leo holds back a frustrated sigh. "Why the fuck did you leave?" This question has Neymar retreating back to the other side of the couch, leaning against the arm, knees under his chin, posture screaming leave me the fuck alone. "I'm just asking." Leo holds his hands up, feeling put out and confused.

"I'm not answering." Neymar mutters, his hands moving up and down his shins. Leo considers the likely outcomes of this visit; his intended goal was to have fucked the other man by now, for the first time at least. That one fuck, earlier in the month, had shown him he missed Neymar more than he'd first thought. Being with him again, had only made being away from him more frustrating and the pragmatic solution to missing Neymar was, therefore, going to him. Only now that he's here, the sphinx bastard isn't talking and isn't playing fair. They finish the pizza in silence, Neymar determinedly curled up away from Leo and Leo sitting stalk still, feeling more and more out of place, tenser. "Thank you for the flowers." He says eventually. Leo had forgotten about them, looks round the room and spots them beside the TV, bright and cheerfully yellow. The brief thought that perhaps Neymar isn't actually watching the TV but looking at them instead, flickers through Leo's mind but he dismisses it as foolish, that's too sentimental, even for new Neymar. He moves slightly, edges that little bit closer and Leo finds himself nodding aimlessly, staring at the TV, a flash of yellow just on the periphery of his vision.

Eventually Leo tires of staring at documentaries, no matter how interesting he begins to find them, there is always the constant awareness of Neymar curled up just beside him, curled up a hairs width from him, curled up and waiting to be cuddled. It's annoying how this final fact causes Leo's brain to stall. Cuddling on the couch is too normal, too intimate, too much like being in a relationship for something that started with hurried trysts in hotel rooms and snatched fucks on a tour bus between matches. Yet it seems to be what Neymar wants and giving a little to get a lot is often how it goes with him. Leo moves his arm, wraps it around Neymar's shoulders, draws him closer and feels him melt against him, any tension in Neymar flows away and he molds himself to Leo's side. It's definitely not, what Leo had intended for the day but as his hand absently starts stroking through Neymar's hair, it begins to feel more comfortable. His mind begins to shut down, for the first time in a long time, there aren't a thousand thoughts playing tag in his brain and it's relaxing. Another documentary down and Neymar turns slightly, tilting his face to Leo's and kisses him, languid and thorough, his fingers trailing up Leo's cheeks, fisting in his hair. It's a kiss unlike any other they've shared, from how slow and careful it is, to the way Neymar's hands are gently stroking, instead of tugging, his hair. Intimate seems to be what Neymar is aiming for and Leo's mind lets a thousand different possibilities branch from this one realization.

"Bed?" Leo asks eventually, pulling back from the soft kiss and holding Neymar's face in hands, thumbs stroking the skin under his eyes. Neymar nods slightly, something dull and odd in his eyes. Once in the bedroom, their kisses heat up, Leo taking more control, his tongue battling for and gaining dominance easily. Neymar waving the white flag so very quickly, his hands still moving slow and soft through Leo's hair. It feels odd, more or less stripping Neymar, Neymar's hands moving over every inch of Leo's skin as he strips himself, petting him like a cat. It's odd and still far too intimate for Leo's purposes, he came to fuck and fuck only, all this gentle kisses, soft strokes and cuddles were not on the menu. The last time he came here, it had been for answers, it had been for confirmation, continuation maybe and he'd gotten as much as Neymar would ever offer of any of them, he'd accepted that, had accepted that he was getting what he'd done without for over a month back and now, he'd like it again, wants pushy insistent old Neymar, not soft cuddly new Neymar.

They end up on the bed, Leo between Neymar's thighs, fingering him open with efficacy borne of need, Neymar moaning softly, his hands curling in the comforter and cock slowly hardening. Leo stares down at him, at the lines of his body, the way his chest is rising and falling more rapidly than normal. Neymar squirms slightly, arching his back, drawing Leo down for a kiss, soft and slow again.

"So, how'd you want this fat cock, baby?" Leo murmurs in Neymar's ear pulling his earrings with his teeth and the other man scoffs.

"Should have known it was too good to be true." He mutters, his legs wrapping around Leo's waist, squeezing slightly before relaxing and letting Leo line his cock up. "All fucking day you were such a good boy." He sneers the last two words and bucks his hips. Leo huffs a soft laugh in his ear and enters him.

"You love it, love hearing me talk dirty." Leo groans and fucks into him slowly.

"Really, really don't." Neymar snaps, his hips bucking, forcing Leo further into him, taking the entire length Leo has far more quickly than he'd intended to give it to him. "Shut up and fuck me." His heels presses into the small of Leo’s back, his eyes are difficult to see in the darkness of his bedroom. "It's what you've been after all day isn't it?" Neymar murmurs as Leo begins to move.

"Maybe, maybe not." Leo mutters, trying to see Neymar properly, cursing not turning on the lights before starting this. Neymar laughs and presses his heels in again, his hips moving with Leo's own.

"You came to watch TV and cuddle?" His laugh fades into a soft moan and Leo thrusts into him firmly.

"Might have." Leo starts nipping at his throat, determined to leave not just one mark this time.

"You could have said." He moans, head tilting back, exposing his neck to Leo's teeth. Neymar always wears vulnerability with bewildering strength, for all he appears to be submitting to Leo, it never feels quite that way. It always feels like stroking the fur of a lion, just waiting for those teeth and claws to be turn on him.

"Aww, baby, maybe I did just wanna cuddle." Leo laughs; it's kind of hilarious how much being called baby pisses Neymar off. There's an infinite amount of amusement to be had at his expense but it can be too easy to push him too far, too easy to rile him up too much. Being kicked out is something Leo never got used to, going from being buried balls deep in Neymar's ass to standing pulling his clothes on hurriedly in a corridor had happened more than once. Neymar's a capricious bastard, he wants to be. He snarls, attempts to flip them over so that he's on top but Leo has no intention of letting that happen, he wants to bear down on the other man tonight, wants to press him into the bed and fuck down into him, wants him to remember who fucked him, wants him to remember Leo. "Shh, lay still. I'll be a good boy." Leo chuckles softly. Neymar doesn't say anything, just lies still as he was asked to be, legs around Leo's waist, hands stroking his hair, eyes hidden in the shadows of his bedroom, as Leo fucks him, hard and deep, his moans soft and occasional.

Leo comes with his face buried against Neymar's neck, teeth worrying at one of the many marks he's left there as he gathers himself once more and moves off the other man. Neymar lies still, staring up at the ceiling for a while and without really thinking about it Leo catches his chin, turns his face to him. "You want me to get you off?" Neymar laughs softly and shakes his head.

"Not in the mood." He turns away, lies on his side, his back turned to Leo. Leo runs one finger down his spine, leans over to press a kiss to his shoulder.

"Could have said." Leo's voice sounds odd to himself, something rough and jarring in it. This is the first time Neymar has ever turned down getting off and Leo, he feels something like guilty, it's not a familiar feeling for him. It feels painfully like he's taken advantage of Neymar and he doesn't like that feeling, doesn't like the way it churns in his stomach.

"It's fine. Go to sleep, Leo." Neymar's voice is quiet, he sounds tired and Leo turns his back to him. They've never really shared a bed before. It's happened once, in some hotel in some piece of shit town in the ass-end of nowhere. Both of them had been half-drunk, they spent the night kicking each other and Leo had been woken by a sick Neymar, smacking him on the head for a particularly impressive bruise on his thigh. As Leo lies, staring into the darkness, he can't help but think over the day, over everything that's happened. He can't help but conclude that this wasn't something he'd planned for, this was a case scenario that hadn't been considered and he isn't sure how he feels about that.

Late on in the night, something wakes Leo up, something overly warm and unfamiliarly heavy resting on him, jolting him from a dreamless sleep. He looks down to a mess of dull brown and blonde hair, the weight and warmth of Neymar on top of him.

"I'm a completely new person."

His words from the Talking Dead, a completely new person who likes trying to flatten Leo whilst he sleeps, a completely new person who would rather cuddle on the couch than come in bed.

Leo's mind is buzzing a thousand different scenarios for what might happen in the morning. What would happen if Neymar woke up alone? What would happen if Leo managed to free himself and spent the night with his back turned to Neymar? What would happen if he woke Neymar up now and fucked him again, brought him to orgasm and left like what was normal for them? The one scenario that he didn't consider is the one that happened. The one where he found his own flowers to look at, he found the thing that calmed his ever turning mind, drifting to sleep watching his fingers move through curly brown and blonde hair and listening to the sound Neymar Junior sleep. The one what would happen if he didn't think of, the one where he stayed exactly where he was and was perfectly content with it.


	3. Wriggling Worms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Contrary to popular belief, I'm not psychically linked to Ney." His oddly soft, a fond smile on his lips. Leo's suddenly very certain he's never heard anyone else call Neymar by that particular name before Dani use it. Leo tells himself the bitter taste in the back of his throat isn't jealousy because he's only fucking Neymar, no grounds for jealousy.

Waking up to the weight of Neymar on top of him, was what Leo had expected. As he'd lain there last night, he'd come to the conclusion that the new Neymar wanted something more than a quick fuck, wanted to be cuddled and Leo had accepted that he'd still be on top of him in the morning. So when he wakes to an empty bed, he's confused. He can hear voices, indistinct and distant, Neymar and based on the timbre of the other, Alves somewhere else in the house. Neymar's laughter is loud and clear, the rest of their conversation, barely audible but the louder moments of amusement drift to Leo. Something unexpected clenches in his chest but he ignores it and rolls over, pulling the blanket over his head. This whole endeavor has been unexpected. Take yesterday for example; it had been one unexpected event after another. From being out damn near thirty dollars for a pizza he hadn't wanted, to cuddling on the couch to Neymar's refusing an orgasm, to lying awake for a good hour stroking Neymar's hair and listening to him breathe, it was a day of painfully unplanned for events. As Leo had laid there running his fingers through Neymar's hair, the churning feeling of something hadn't left him, that odd feeling of taking advantage of Neymar, squirming, wriggling worms of something painfully like guilt, had writhed and still do, in Leo's stomach. The whole thing, the whole day feels like a debt that needs to be paid. Leo falls back asleep, ignoring the fact he's curled around the pillow Neymar had been sleeping on, trying to plan paying him back.

"Morning." Neymar's voice, some unknown time later comes to him, husky but soft and close. Leo peels the blankets back and rubs at his eyes. Neymar's sitting on the other side of the bed, a mug of coffee in his hands, eyes focussed on Leo, the expression in them frustratingly mild and content.

"It's still morning?" Leo groans, clearing his throat and sitting up, the blankets bunching at his waist. He swipes at the hair in his eyes and suddenly Neymar is in front of him, his hand running through the mess of Leo's hair, bringing something like order to it or at least keeping it out of his eyes. "You bring me coffee?" Leo asks, his voice still rough, he wants Neymar away from him. Right now, those gorgeous deep green eyes are entirely too close, the weight of their gaze is entirely too much. Leo's brain is too fuzzy from sleep to handle that heavy stare.

"I did. I'm a good host." Neymar smiles and moves away, back to the other side of the bed. His hand holding another mug of coffee appears before Leo and he almost snatches it, gulping at the liquid inside. "When's your flight?" Neymar asks. Leo glances over at him, the other man's sitting there, sipping at his coffee looking entirely relaxed, until you come to his eyes, his stare, focused on the mug, is dark and desperately confusing. Leo fidgets and sips at his own coffee, trying to focus on something other than the worms in his stomach. He finishes the coffee quickly, the bittersweet liquid burning his throat but he needs, wants, out of this room quickly, once he's dealt with the worms at least.

"Hey." He says, Neymar's attention turning to him. Leo takes his mug and sets it by the other empty one on the nightstand. Then catches Neymar's chin, kissing him, rough and messy, the way he's always kisses Neymar. Neymar's hands act as they should, tugging at Leo's hair, making it a mess once more. His clothes are shed quickly and Leo presses him onto his back. It takes almost no time to get Neymar hard, a few firm strokes, whilst nibbling on the curve of his collarbone, some almost caresses to his cheek whilst kissing him deeply. This is payback so Leo tries to ignore his cock as it slowly hardens but it's trained to react to the sounds of Neymar being pleasured. He moves down Neymar's body, bites at one of his nipples and then keeps going, nips, licks and soft suckles to the skin of Neymar's stomach, he wraps his lips around Neymar's cock and sucks. His hips buck slightly and Leo goes with it, the faster he gets Neymar off, the faster he can get away from him, pay his debt and be done with this. Whatever it is that that is, Leo's done, this isn't what he signed up for, the old Neymar is dead and so is their ill-defined and mutually beneficial thing.

"Fuck." Neymar comes suddenly in Leo's mouth, his hands clutching at his hair. Courtesy makes Leo swallow and he moves away from Neymar, gets out of bed and begins pulling on his clothes. "You want me to take you to the airport?" Neymar asks, then shakes his head, both of them know if a paparazzi catches them together media will never leave them alone especially Neymar, and Leo himself is concern about the pressure media put on Neymar, still on the bed, looking soft and mussed up. Leo shakes his head.

"I'll get a cab."

 

You get home okay? – Ney 14:56

You busy? - Ney 10:46

Are you coming to visit again? I want more flowers. - Ney 23:26

One message for each day, one message Leo ignores. Three days worth of ignoring, three days of messages, three days of resolve and he can feel it cracking. He doesn't do wavering, he doesn't do regrets, any fool can regret things and he's no fool. He doesn't regret but Neymar is still offering, the offer of a fuck is still there and Neymar is a good fuck. They can try to define this a little better, Leo can make it clear that it's just a fuck he wants, all he's ever wanted from Neymar is just a fuck. If Neymar wants more, then Leo will find a new fuck, it's that simple really.

 

"Is Neymar in?" Leo asks Alves, as he appears to be leaving Neymar's place. He turns to look at Leo, something close to amusement on his face.

"No, Ne-"

"You gonna tell me he's dead again?" Leo snaps, interrupting the other man. Dani laughs and shakes his head.

"Well, he is dead." He smirks and leans against the door jab.

"What he die of this time?" Leo tightens his grip on the bunch of yellow flowers in his hand. He's sick of these almost conversations with this bastard and he needs to remember to get his money back.

"Verruca." He sighs and kicks his shoes off, holding the door open for Leo. "He's really not here, went off somewhere." Leo frowns, the flowers feel rather pointless now, perhaps he should have checked rather than just appearing on Neymar's doorstep.

"Where?" Leo takes off his own shoes but keeps his jacket on, he's not sure he's staying long, not even sure why he's following Dani up the stairs into Neymar's living room really.

"Contrary to popular belief, I'm not psychically linked to Ney." His voice oddly soft, a fond smile on his lips. Leo's suddenly very certain he's never heard anyone else call Neymar by that particular name before Dani use it. Leo tells himself the bitter taste in the back of his throat isn't jealousy because he's only fucking Neymar, no grounds for jealousy. "I got no idea where he is. You wanna drink?" Leo nods and follows him to kitchen. He's never seen this room; not really, the living rooms, the bedroom, the bathroom, are the only palaces he can say he's spent any time in this place. He sits on a stool and watches as Dani switches on the kettle, not bothering to ask what it is Leo wants.

"Why are you here?" The question pops out before Leo's even started analyzing the situation, his mind having already decided what it wants to know apparently.

"Watering his plants." Dani shrugs and drops teabags into two mugs. Leo can't say he likes tea, odd and bitter stuff, no matter how much sugar you put in it, it still tastes weird.

"He has plants?" Dani looks at Leo, blank and cold.

"Yes." The kettle clicks off and Dani turns his attention back to it, pouring hot water into the mugs. "Don't you talk?" He asks, his back turned. Leo almost winces, this really isn't a conversation to be having with this man, this really isn't a conversation to be having with anyone.

"Not about plants." Leo mutters, accepting the mug and blowing on the slightly green liquid in it, the steam billowing in his face, bitterly scented.

"Hmm." Dani, blows on his own mug and sets it down on the counter. "What do you want from him?" Leo has never really considered wishing for the ground to swallow him whole before, never really wanted someone to drop dead so he can avoid talking about something awkward, more than at this very moment before.

"You his mom or something?" Dani laughs and shakes his head, picks up his mug once more, blowing on the contents and sipping at it carefully.

"He's my..." He pauses, seeming to consider his words carefully. "My best friend." He looks at Leo, his expression sharply judgmental, analyzing everything from the way Leo's sitting to his potential mental processes. The feeling of being a failing science project comes over him again.

"You making sure I'm not gonna impinge on his delicate sensibilities." Leo snaps, setting his mug down harshly. "It's Neymar I'm fucking not you, got fuck all to do with you." He sneers and Dani smirks, shaking his head.

"Neymar is dead." He says slowly and Leo can feel his fists balling, the urge to punch this smirking bastard in the face is almost overwhelming. "I mean the Neymar you’re talking about is dead but the Ney I’m taking about isn’t." He says shortly, breaking eye contact with Leo for the first time. "The Ney I know isn't really Neymar JR, well no, that's not quite true. Ney, he's more than a twenty year old boy with pretty eyes worshiping you from tip to toe you used to know." Leo sighs, the fight draining out of him.

"I don't want a heart to heart, Alves." He runs his hand through his hair and sighs. He really doesn't want a heart to heart, he doesn't want to hear anything that Alves has to say on this matter, doesn't want his resolve to waver, again.

"It's not a heart to heart, Leo, it's a fair warning. If you can't love him, leave him alone." Dani sighs and pours the dregs of his tea down the drain. "I'll tell him you visited." Leo nods and leaves. The flowers forgotten on the counter.

He knew he didn't want to hear anything Dani had to say. Hindsight is always twenty-twenty. It's easier to have perspective when you're looking back, easier to see where you went wrong, easier but pointless. You can't change your actions; you can only deal with the fallout. If you can't love him, leave him alone. A fair warning indeed. Leo shakes his head, he doesn't want to love him, so per the warning, he should leave Neymar alone. The Neymar who is more than the one he used to know, the new Neymar who wants to be cuddled, the new Neymar who demands flower, the new Neymar who Leo doesn't know, the new Neymar who he doesn't understand, the new Neymar who he's going to leave well alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews, comments, concerns and kudos are always welcomed.  
> A big thank you to everyone who left kudos.


	4. In Memoriam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So, go talk to him." Gerard laughs again and Leo sighs once more, this is ridiculous, he feels like the fucking main character in some made for teenagers romance novel, all this sighing and feeling maudlin. "If Neymar's dead, stop mourning the fucking asshole and move on or go talk to this new person and get to know him Simple." Gerard laughs once more and stands. "Anything to stop you being even more of a miserable sack of shit, man. I'm sick of it."

Time passes, Leo moves on with his life. He's busy being the best footballer in the world, its tiring, and frustrating but he and his teammates had a good season so far.

  
If he's truly honest with himself, he's grateful that media is kind of over the whole Neymar thing but he knows that their next game is to spread rumors about Neymar’s come back, these stories always work for them in the world that money is getting more important than loyalty and the football itself; it's easier not to think of Neymar when people aren't talking about him everywhere. Dani's warning plays in the back of Leo's mind. If you can't love him, leave him alone. Leo can't love him, is utterly certain of that so he's done exactly as asked. This whole thing, it started because of a mutual need for something physical, it was never about emotions, never about anything but the physical pleasure they could give each other. Neymar he knew is dead and he’s a complete stranger to this Neymar. The Neymar he knew wanted the same thing as Leo, this person is looking for something more and Leo isn't. It's not a problem not anymore, after a solid week of not replying to his texts, he stopped sending them and that's what Leo wanted, it truly is, at least that's what he tells himself whenever he looks at the blank screen of his cell. They've parted ways, separated over something very fundamental, something that they would never be able to resolve. The new Neymar wants more because he is more, Leo isn't so he doesn't.

"You get some chick pregnant?" Gerard's voice comes a shock, Leo was sitting quietly considering what to do, when he speaks, sounding equal parts interested and concerned.

"What? No!" Leo frowns, spinning his cell around again. It's somehow become a habit, something he does when he's thinking.

"Really? Cause there's not any other reason for you to be playing with your damn phone so much." Leo frowns and stuffs his phone in his pocket. As soon as it's out of sight, something inside of him feels antsy, uncomfortable and it makes little sense. He's not used to this feeling, is not used to a whole host of feelings he's been having lately. This Neymar situation is unexpected, unplanned for, not considered even briefly and it's infuriating.

"I'm thinking." Leo murmurs, standing, crossing the hotel room, walking to the window, looking out into the street, watching the people pass-by.

"You going to sort things out with him?" Gerard sounds exasperated and Leo turns to stare at him.

"Who?" Leo snaps, arms folding over his chest, he was certain that his relationship with Neymar had been ill defined, mutually beneficially and secret.

"C'mon, I might do some dumb shit but I’m not dumb Leo." Gerard laughs and Leo sighs, scrubbing at his face. "Something's happened between you and Neymar."

"Neymar is dead." Irritated is something Leo is getting used to feeling, his fuse feels short these days.

"He looked pretty alive in those ridicules instagram stories." Leo scowls and turns back to look out of the window. "Alive and well, I'd say."

"We don’t know him anymore the kid we knew is dead." He sighs and scrubs at his face again.

"So, go talk to him." Gerard laughs again and Leo sighs once more, this is ridiculous, he feels like the fucking main character in some made for teenagers romance novel, all this sighing and feeling maudlin. "If Neymar's dead, stop mourning the fucking asshole and move on or go talk to this new person and get to know him Simple." Gerard laughs once more and stands. "Anything to stop you being even more of a miserable sack of shit, man. I'm sick of it."

"Yeah, maybe." Gerard might have a point there, if Neymar is dead there's only so long Leo can mourn him. There has to be a decision made. If you can't love him, leave him alone. Leo doesn't know Neymar anymore, has been, he supposes, mourning the loss of his easy fuck buddy. Go talk to him. It's solid advice, its good advice, its advice he should take under consideration.

"Go see him, yeah?" Gerard stands by the window, making a show of looking out of it but really; he's not subtle in his watching Leo's reflection in the glass.

"Yeah, yeah, maybe." Leo shakes his head and steps away. "C'mon, we've got training.”

 

His flight gets into Paris far quicker than he'd wanted it too really. He's thought on this Neymar situation long and hard but he's still like a little more time. You can't love someone you don't know and he already likes the bits of this person that is alike with Neymar he used to know, the rest of him, well, Leo will have to get to know them, he supposes. There's no more time to consider this, it's time for action now.

The lady in the flower store smiles at him, an easy expression that he knows, he doesn't manage to return.

"Your lady friend is a lucky girl." She says in Spanish, it surprises him a little, the accent seems Colombian, as she wraps a ribbon round the bunch of flowers. Leo laughs and shakes his head.

"I wanna card on it, this one." He points to one of the little cards in the display, the Eiffel tower on it.

"Do you want to write it?" She asks her voice soft.

"No, ma'am, my handwriting's terrible." He lies easily; he mostly wants to shock this bustling little old lady.

"Well, then, what'll I write?" She smiles again, all wrinkles and geniality.

"To Neymar, potentially with love, Leo. No h." Her eyes widen but she says nothing, her smile unfaltering.

"You want some kisses on it, honey?" She asks, her pen hovering over the card and Leo shakes his head. "Well, let's hope this potential's realized." She grins. "I always appreciate repeat customers." She's apparently lived here long enough to become a French bred bastard, Leo thinks, handing her the money and leaving the store, hailing a cab, giving the driver Neymar’s address.

When he arrives, Dani is just leaving, the door open and him straightening his cap. He spots Leo and scowls.

"I know." Leo says before Dani can open his mouth.

"Why are you here?" He snaps, looking furious. Something dark clenches in Leo's chest, bitter jealousy burning in the back of his throat.

"You being Mr. Rebound?" Leo has never wished to take something back more than that, instead of anger or indignant denial, Dani laughs, long and hard, with tears forming at the corners of his eyes.

"Really? No!" He manages to get out between laughs. "Me and Ney? Oh fuck no, I know him!" He leans against the door jab, a smile on his face. "Fuck me; you actually really do think that?" His expression sobering as he looks at Leo.

"I..." Leo rubs the back of his head and looks away. "Is Ney in?" He changes the subject, doesn't particularly want Dani to keep laughing at him, doesn't particularly want to examine the feeling of relief that settles inside of him.

"Neymar is dead." His smile creeps back on his face but takes on an odd resigned edge. "Hardened earwax." He sighs and shakes his head. "Why are you here?" Leo sighs, fidgets slightly and holds up the bunch of flowers, bright and sunny yellow.

"I wanna know who is alive then?" He manages to force a smile and Dani's eyes narrow. "I don't know Neymar, okay?" He grinds out, feeling like he's making his case to an over-protective father, in some ways that really is the case, no matter what, Dani is going to have Neymar's back, he looks out for him, as much as Neymar ever gave Dani as much international props as he could. They're a team; it's something Leo is going to have to deal with but right now, not something he wants to consider overly.

"He's a bastard." Dani laughs. "But he's my best friend, you hurt him, I castrate you." People should not look and sound so very genial whilst delivering threats of mutilation, Leo thinks. "Apparently, I owe you $30 for a pizza?" Dani roots in his pocket and produces a roll of bills, all one-dollars. Brazil breeds bastards, manipulative, petty, over-protective, infuriating bastards. He walks down the steps and stops, turns to Leo, his mouth open to speak but an odd expression crosses his face and he shakes his head instead.

"I'll be careful." Leo says awkwardly, he's not sure if it's what Dani wanted to hear, not sure if it's even close but it's the only thing Leo can think of saying. It gets a vague nod and Dani leaves, walks away down the sidewalk, leaving Leo standing alone outside of Neymar's house. He sighs and rubs the back of his neck. Go and talk to him. It's easy for Gerard to say that, he's got a steady woman, he's got a relationship, he's not perched on a tightrope with castration on one side and the unknown on the other. The unknown, the one thing Leo loves and fears in equal measure.

"I thought you went home." Neymar is sitting on the sofa, playing video games.

"I can, if you like." Leo says and watches as Neymar practically bounces off the sofa, stalking over to him. Neymar looks torn between furious and elated, neither emotion winning the battle for dominance. "I just got here but if you want me to, I can go." He holds out the flowers and something in Neymar's eyes settles, something in them seems more at peace, his anger bleeding away.

"I... No, stay, please, stay. You want some coffee?" He asks, walking towards the kitchen. This is the second time Leo's been in this room, the second time he's watched the Brazilian make him something to drink here. Neymar busies himself with setting up the coffee machine. "I may burn this; keep an eye on it for me." He smiles slightly, rubbing the back of his neck, looking mildly uncomfortable. "So, uh..." He trails off and opens a cupboard, pulls out a vase and fills it with water, the coffee machine burbling in the background.

"I hear you have plants." Leo smiles, feels awkward and can't help but laugh when Neymar looks surprised.

"I do, sunflowers." He smiles slightly. "Still pretty small right now but in the summer, I'll put them out in pots and they'll get pretty big." He leaves the room with his vase of flowers. Leo can feel something settle in his chest and worms awakening in his stomach. "Why are you here?" Neymar says, as he comes back into the kitchen, the flowers put somewhere else.

"Your mom gave me a warning, I had to think about it." He looks horribly confused, messes up his hair some and frowns.

"When did y... Oh! Dani!" He shakes his head. "He's my best friend, he looks out for me." He shrugs and pours two cups of coffee, mixing sugar in with Leo's without being asked to. "What'd he say?" He leans against the counter by the coffee machine and stares into his cup.

"Told me to leave you alone." He stares at Leo, his eyes wide, shock settling in them. "If I couldn't love you, that is." Leo forces a smile to his face. "Kept telling me Neymar was dead, took a long time to work out what he meant." Neymar shakes his head with a smile and sips his coffee. "Your fucking Brazil breeds nothing but cryptic bastard, you know that?" He laughs and sets his cup down.

"Not cryptic, just smarter than illogical unreasonable Argentine." He grins and Leo snorts.

"Cryptic, sphinx bastards, who never say what they mean." A smirk settles on Neymar's lips and he laughs again.

"I always say what I mean." Leo snorts again and drinks some of his coffee.

"Never in a way a normal person can understand." He smirks back at Neymar, gets off the stool he's perched on and stands in front of him.

"Dani knows what I'm talking about and you’re not a normal person, are you? People keep saying you’re from another planet" Neymar fidgets slightly but stands straighter.

Leo frowns he hates it when people bring that alien shit up and Neymar knows it damn well. “Well, the natives of that shithole would have to understand each other or nothing would happen." Leo's hands rest on his waist, fingers stroking his sides through the fabric of his shirt, feeling the warmth of the flesh underneath.

"You keep insulting my country and I'm throwing you out." He scowls slightly, a glimmer of old Neymar in him; it makes Leo want to laugh. It’s like he didn’t change at all, just with little extra bits, odd, cuddly extras but still Neymar, still the kid he was fucking, still the kid he was, is attracted to. "Wait, you're normal now?" Neymar's own hands settle nervously on Leo's shoulders.

"Absolutely, the most normal guy in this room. Your country is a miserable place, though. It's fucking warm and full of bastards who make no sense but..." Leo trails off, moves one hand up Neymar's back, to tangle in his hair, drawing him closer.

"But?" He asks softly, letting Leo kiss him.

"But Paris has a nice airport, lots of direct flights, plenty that go to Barcelona. You liked Spain, its warm, at least you understand what people saying." Leo kisses him again, taking his time to taste every inch of his mouth. Kissing this new Neymar and kissing the old one are two different things and Leo thinks, he's going to enjoy the former so much more. "It feels like home, too." Leo mutters, kissing Neymar again, his hands growing a little more adventurous, one squeezing his ass gently.

"My house is in Paris now." It's a rather simple statement, but it's one that Leo thinks he understands the meaning behind. My house means my club, my family, my bastard best friend, my home. Neymar won't give these things up for him and Leo isn't certain he'd want Neymar to, not really, at this stage, he'd rather keep it like this, Neymar with his home and Leo with Barcelona.

"Still, Barcelona is nice for a visit." Leo offers, a visit would be good, having Neymar in his home, that isn't a home, a place he sleeps and plays video games in, but having him there, that would change it, there'd be flowers if nothing else.

"That's true." Neymar concedes and kisses Leo this time, tentative at first, growing bolder, his hands not quite grabbing and desperate because that is what Neymar had been. Desperate for something that he wanted but he didn't quite know how to get. The brutally direct approach of their first fuck, that was all about Leo but this slower meandering one, with its taking time to look at the flowers, that's all Neymar is now. There's a path, a direct path, certainly, but Neymar would rather be sure he's walked every inch of it, before getting to the end. Leo returns the kiss slowly, his hands stroking over Neymar's back, taking time to look at the flowers is something that's going to take some getting used to but, he thinks it will be worthwhile, thinks that he's finished mourning the old Neymar and is finally ready to move on with this person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think. If you enjoyed leave a kudos.


	5. The Power of Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'I can't just tell him, Dani! It's not important. Besides, he told me that he was no good for giving me a leg up, that’s not what I wanted! I got stuck in a relationship instead! Do you think I should think about Barca? I don't want to but do you think he'll change his mind again if I don't? I know, I'm being a girl. Going to watch True Detectives and eat ice cream. When you get home, you'll have no ice cream, well you will but it won't be this ice cream, because I'll have eaten it.'

Leo sits and starts to lace his boots. Usually in situations like this, trapped thirty thousand feet in the air, with little hope of escape, he lets his mind wander, lets it map out possibilities, different scenarios, possible outcomes for every event he can come up with, but today it's infuriatingly quiet. He's grimly aware of the why of the silence. It had been a stupid question, he'd known it was a stupid question, and yet he'd asked it. He'd asked and exactly what he'd expected to happen. Neymar remains difficult for Leo, difficult but interesting, if nothing else, he's not bored yet. It's been weeks and that strange itchy feeling his mind usually gets by now hasn't come over him yet, the worms in the pit of his stomach haven't abated either. Every second in Neymar's company, they're there, squirming, wriggling, making him feel slightly sick, but it's not the itchiness, and Leo takes that as a good sign.

Will you watching?

It'd been an innocuous question on the surface, but the surface was easily breached.

Will you watching? That was the question Leo had asked. Only it was more than that, it was a whole host of other questions. Are you going to watch Barcelona, are you going to come back to Barcelona, are you going to ever tell me why you left in the first place, do you miss me when I'm not here, do you want me to miss you when I'm not here, will you watch with me, will you be there for me? Those were the questions Leo was really asking and Neymar had known it, had barely paused before he answered no. Two little letters. Two little letters that make the most powerful word in the Spanish language.

Will you watching?

No.

Will you watching UCL?

No.

Are you thinking about coming back to Barcelona?

No.

Are you ever going to tell me why you left in the first place?

No.

Do you miss me when I'm not here?

No.

Do you want me to miss you when I'm not here?

No.

Will you come with me?

No.

Will you be there for me?

No, no, no.

All those unasked questions, each answered in one little but so very powerful word. Yet, to say that there'd been a fight over it would be a lie. For all Leo is unpredictable, for all he likes to fling words, he'd not relished the prospect of getting into it with Neymar, but he's not been given that chance. Old Neymar left, plainly, simply left, and Leo hasn't heard from him since. Being in a relationship isn't quite what Leo expected, he misses the easiness of fucking old Neymar, confusing and capricious as he could be, at least he was something Leo could grasp, at least there was something like rules, understanding at least. Neymar is a bewilderingly different creature sometimes, the glimmers of old Neymar are stronger as time passes, but they're wrapped up in this confusing mess of new Neymar.

"C'mon." Luis smacks Leo on the back and he stands, scrubbing at his face.

"Woman trouble?" Gerard laughs and joins in the communal backslapping. Leo laughs absently, and runs a hand through his hair.

"A face like that? Always woman trouble." Luis squeezes Leo's cheeks and laughs. "C'mon, training starts around five minute."

"Good." Leo smirks at his teammates. "That'll take my mind off things." He laughs and leads the charge off the locker room and towards the training ground. Although he's in no mood for these people, he's not really in the mood for anybody who isn't a scruffy, ill tempered, cuddly Brazil bred bastard, who's still in Paris, at least.

 

"You seriously want me to sign it Dani? I'm gonna have to charge you $50 for it, man." Leo knows that voice, and whilst he's a Brazil bred bastard, he's the wrong one. "Okay, okay! Thanks." Alves turns from the little gaggle of PSG fans, and bumps right into Leo.

"Hello." Leo's given up trying to read Dani, the man has the same Brazil bred bastard unreadable eyes as Neymar, the only difference is instead of mild irritation, Dani's default setting is mild geniality.

"Messi! How nice to see you! Can we talk? Is now good? Now is good? Oh good!" His hand wraps around Leo's bicep and he starts walking, towards some over-priced airport café that there are less people to recognize them. "What the fuck did you do?" He snarls, sitting down, and pretends to look through the menu.

"I didn't do anything." Leo snaps back, feeling on the defensive already.

"So Ney is hiding out at my place because you did nothing?" His eyebrow raises, eyes narrowed.

"That's where he is?" Leo mutters, and sighs, looking away. "I asked him if he was thinking about coming back to Barca." Dani snorts, and Leo looks over at him. "What? I know it was a stupid question... It's just..." Leo sighs again; he's growing sick of feeling like a little kid around Neymar's best friend. "Look, I-"

"Sorry." Dani cuts in, looks genuinely apologetic, and as is normal for dealing with him, Leo feels on the back foot. "Ney is still... Prickly about Barca. I should have warned you." He tosses Leo the menu. "Order something, my treat." He smiles easily, and flags a waitress over, Leo simply has the same and the woman goes away.

"Why? What's he told you?" Here Dani laughs, as though it should be obvious that Neymar's told him everything, has probably relayed in exacting detail what really happened. "Why won't he tell me?" Leo sighs again. He thinks this is getting too dramatic for him, that being with Neymar, might be too much hassle, but the worms awaken at the thought of walking away from Neymar, not the itchiness, so he stays put, watching Dani texting someone.

"The beloved." He holds the cell up, so Leo can see the screen.

'I can't just tell him, Dani! It's not important. Besides, he told me that he was no good for giving me a leg up, that’s not what I wanted! I got stuck in a relationship instead! Do you think I should think about Barca? I don't want to but do you think he'll change his mind again if I don't? I know, I'm being a girl. Going to watch True Detectives and eat ice cream. When you get home, you'll have no ice cream, well you will but it won't be this ice cream, because I'll have eaten it.'

Neymar it seems really does relay everything to his best friend, a stab of jealousy fills Leo at hearing Dani calling him beloved, but the memory of being laughed at after accusing him of being Mr. Rebound comes to Leo, slight exasperation replaces jealousy easily. There's nothing to be jealous of about their friendship, other than having someone who knows you completely, though in all honesty, that is possibly something Leo is more than a little jealous of.

"He gets written diarrhea when he's worried." Dani laughs, and sets the phone down.

"Answer him." The thought of Neymar sitting alone, eating ice cream, watching TV and worrying about Leo, makes him feel terrible, makes him want to be there for him, right then cuddling on the couch sounds perfect to him.

"I will, eventually." Dani shrugs, taking his order from the waitress and pushing food around his plate. "Hasn't he told you anything?" Leo shakes his head and sips at his drink.

"Nope." He takes a bite, and scrubs at his face. "Is he always..."

"Difficult?" Dani laughs, nodding. "Very, constantly, perpetually, all of the time, but that's Ney, people who don’t know him thinks he’s easy and naive.”

"Great." Leo eats more of his food, the worms feel like they're rebelling at its introduction, roiling even more, but it seems like it would be rude to ignore the over-priced food in favor of feeling mildly unwell.

"I warned you, man." Dani laughs, and Leo scowls at him. "What? I did!" He protests, somehow managing to look thoroughly innocent.

"You kept fucking telling me Neymar was dead. How the hell is that warning me?" Leo snaps, sipping at his drink, feeling torn between petulant and annoyed.

"Neymar you knew, isn't Neymar... I warned you, fair and square." Dani shrugs, setting his cutlery down, and picking his cell back up, typing at it. Leo tries to see what he's writing back, but gives it up as a lost cause.

"Yeah, fair and square. Fucking Brazilian bastards, none of you make any fucking sense." Leo mutters, vaguely recalling saying something rather similar to Neymar not too long ago. Rehashing conversions with Brazil bred bastards something Leo thinks he's going to have to get painfully familiar with.

"I make perfect sense!" Dani sounds mildly offended, and finishes his drink.

"I'm willing to bet the only person who actually understands you is Neymar." Leo pushes his plate towards the middle of the table, and smirks as Dani rubs the back of his neck. A grin spreads over Leo's lips, it's not often he scores one over the Brazilian; it makes him feel rather smug.

"Two peas in a pod." Dani mutters, as his cell beeps again. "Oh for fuck sake. Here." He tosses a twenty on the table and stands. "Look, my advice, and I know you didn't ask for it, but you're getting it anyways, is after your next match, go to Barcelona. No matter what, go home." Dani leaves Leo sitting alone, to answer his cell, swearing in Portuguese profusely at whoever is on the other end of the line.

Going back to Barcelona wasn't exactly what Leo had wanted to do, he'd wanted to go to Paris but Neymar had been silent, no texts, no calls, no acknowledgement of any of Leo's attempts at communication, in a moment of desperation, he'd even sent a dm on Instagram, but that too had gone ignored. It's galling that there should be moments of desperation. Leo doesn't do desperation, at least not in this context and yet as ever, for Neymar it seems what Leo does and doesn't do goes out of the window. Yet, Dani's advice won't leave him peace, the almost order to go back here stays with him, so Leo does as he was bid. It's not something he does often, but between the worms and Dani, he doesn't feel like arguing much, sometimes it's better to do as you're told and accept the way the cards fall. It might not be what he wants to do, but it seems like Dani is on Leo's side in this whole thing with Neymar, so trusting him is probably a good idea, so he comes to Barcelona, ignoring the urge to fly to Paris instead.

The trip back was uneventful; Leo spent most of the flight feeling at once buzzing with energy and utterly drained. He pinned it all on post-match blues, and not the persistent radio silence from Neymar.

 

"Hi." Neymar's voice comes as a surprise. He was the very last thing Leo expected to see on his doorstep. Truly, it seems that Dani is playing at relationship counselor for them. "Thought I'd come check out Barcelona." He's smiling slightly, something unsettled in his eyes. Leo nods vaguely. Neymar never has been in his house before.

"Was thinking of going on holiday, you're lucky I'm here." Leo mutters and opens the door to his house, letting Neymar in. He doesn't mention he'd come here on the vague orders of Dani, it seems rather like a given, Neymar was probably sent on them too.

"Luck is for losers, Leo." He laughs, and stops just in the door. "It's bare." He gestures at the empty house, Leo shrugs.

"Does the job." Leo's arms wrap around Neymar's waist, pulling him closer, so that his back is flush with Leo's chest. "You stopped being a girl?" He asks softly, lips pressing kisses to Neymar's throat.

"You and my mom been talking again?" He laughs, and turns in Leo's arms, kissing him carefully, as though slightly uncertain how welcome his kiss will be.

"He's a chatty bastard." Leo shrugs, kissing Neymar firmly, hands squeezing his waist gently. "Wanna take the tour?" He laughs and nods.

"Can't wait... Oh!" He pulls away from Leo, and starts rooting around in the bag he has with him. "Present." He hands Leo a box of chocolates, it looks expensive and French and Leo isn't quite sure what to do with it, other than eat the contents, it's entirely unexpected, and kind of makes him wish he had something to give in return. "You don't strike me as the flowers type..." Neymar glances up at him, his expression infuriatingly unreadable.

"Nope, you're the girl." Leo tilts his chin up and kisses him. "Chocolate kind of seems more like a present for you though." Leo tosses the box on the sofa, and catches Neymar's wrist. "So tour?" He leads to the way into the kitchen. "All the modern conveniences, microwave, juicer..."

"A stove that's never been used?" Neymar laughs and Leo shrugs.

"Hmm... Feel free to pop its cherry. The living room, TV, table, couch."

"Very nice. I like the whole never used look, very modern." Neymar mutters and Leo shrugs again. "Do we get to pop the couch's cherry too?" He steps closer, leaning against Leo's side and whispers in his ear. Leo snorts and nods.

"Oh yeah, there'll be plenty of popping on it, later." He grins and Neymar rolls his eyes. "And finally, the bedroom." Neymar steps away from Leo and toes his shoes off, before flopping on the bed, looking up at him with a grin.

"Very nice." He pats space beside him. "You look like shit, c'mon sleep." Leo shakes his head and kicks his sneakers off, then settles down on the bed by Neymar. "We can pop cherries in a bit, yeah?"

"The one cherry I'd like was popped long ago." Leo laughs, and Neymar smacks his chest lightly, then snuggles up against him.

"I'm sure you'll get over it." He mutters, pulling Leo closer. "Go to sleep and I'll consider cooking for you."

"You cook?" Honestly, the thought of Neymar cooking amuses him, the amount of burnt coffee grinds Leo's watched him throw away has him worried, but maybe it's just coffee that hates Neymar.

"I'm not a child, Leo." He mutters, sounding half-asleep already. "I can mostly cook, you got any food in?"

"I've got a selection of takeout places that deliver's numbers." Leo snakes one arm around Neymar's shoulders and tugs him to rest against his chest, one hand running through his hair. "I highly recommend the Italian place." He yawns and kisses Neymar's head. "Cook me breakfast instead. I'll send someone to the store after dinner."

"Shopping, popping, we've a busy evening planned." Neymar murmurs, Leo nods vaguely and yawns again.

"Go to sleep." Leo swats the back of his head, now that a nap has been offered, he feels tired, sleep is something he'd like right about now.

"Love you too." The sentiment makes him freeze, love? The worms decide then that no matter how much he wants this nap, he's not getting it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a comment and kudos.


	6. Zygote

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Mohawk was always an interesting look for you." Leo mutters, smoothing Neymar's hair, smirking slightly at him. Dragging Leo's hand from his hair, looking at the TV trying to fix it, like the kid Leo used to know, still obsessed with how he looks even in Leo house after he got fucked.

He could, Leo supposed, lie in bed and stare at the ceiling, stomach roiling, mind whirring, thinking very carefully of anything but what Neymar just said, but it won't accomplish much, and ignoring his mind is never easy.

Love you too.

A simple phrase but not really one Leo was anywhere near prepared to hear. Love isn't something he feels for Neymar, not yet, maybe not ever, and that brings up a whole host of other problems. Barrel-chested, mildly genial, castration based problems. Leo sighs, and shifts, restless beneath the solid weight of Neymar. The sleeping man shifts, snuffling at Leo's neck, his breath and hair thickly. Leo sighs, and runs his fingers through Neymar's hair, getting a pleased sounding snuffle, and more squirming for his actions. He stares up at the white ceiling, and firmly ignores the worms. He wonders vaguely if he should ask Mascherano about fishing the next time he sees the man, there has to be some use for worms beyond making him feel ill. Neymar squirms in Leo's arms, rolling onto his side, his arms wrapping around himself. Leo lies staring at the sleeping man's back. His hand reaches out, runs down Neymar's spine gently, even through his clothes Neymar's body heat is palpable. Leo moves closer, resting on his own side, holding Neymar close, his chin resting on top of Neymar's hair. The worms wriggle, and squirm, but quiet down the longer Leo lies there holding Neymar.

No matter how tranquil the worms are, Leo's mind refuses to rest, it's flits from topic to topic before resting on the text message Dani had flashed at him in that airport cafe. Neymar fearing that Leo would change his mind, worried that Leo would once more decide that he was too much hassle and leave him, again. However, as Leo thinks on it, did he really leave Neymar that first time? He just ignored him, just didn't reply to his attempts at contact, rather like Neymar after he left, Leo had maintained radio silence. Neymar squirms again, his sleep seemingly restless, one of his hands stretched out on the pillow, fingers searching, grabbing for something. He makes a softly distressed noise, and Leo squirms slightly to nose at the back his neck.

"Shh... It's okay, I'm here, baby." Leo's quite certain that trying that particular cutesy pet-name would get him kicked in the balls, and out of his own apartment were Neymar awake, but asleep it seems to quieted him down. Leo moves his arm, and takes Neymar's hand in his own, his thumb moving of the bony knuckles. He closes his eyes, his face buried in Neymar's hair. "You better not get spooked, sphinx bastard." Leo mumbles, if something jolts Neymar from his sleep now, Leo's looking at a broken nose. He lays behind Neymar, inhaling his scent, his mind meandering, once more returning to the idea of leaving Neymar. It's a strange idea to have become fixated on, but with every other lover he's taken by now Leo has felt itchy, like he needed to be rid of them. Leaving them had been easy; the only difficult thing about it had been finding a reason or method that would discourage them from wanting to try again. Yet leaving Neymar, it's not something, at this stage at least, that Leo's certain he could do. Even far too many miles from Neymar to be able to, when he'd read that message on Dani's cell; all Leo had wanted to do was bundle Neymar up in his arms. Leo sighs grimly, all Neymar has to do is roll over in his sleep and Leo has him bundled up in his arms. When his dreams are anything but sweet, Leo's there to shush him down, and cradle him close. This is definitely not a position Leo's found himself in before, if anything he's been cast in the Neymar role before. People see him as damaged, want to comfort him, want to wrap him up, and Leo doesn't need that, doesn't want it. He's not sure if that's a weakness on his part or Neymar's though. How much strength is there in being vulnerable? He sighs, and gets off the bed, being static, being still, it's generally a bad idea for him. That's possibly the hardest part of being with this Neymar. This Neymar, unlike the Neymar who was only a kid, is unfathomably fond of stillness, is distressingly capable of being in one place for hours on end. The kid who was only Neymar was incapable of not moving, some little involuntary twitch, and some restless bounce of a knee, something, anything; as though he were a shark and he had to move to stay alive. Sometimes, Leo feels like that, feels like being still is too much for him to handle. He stretches and steps away from the bed, as if on cue, as soon as he's too far from Neymar, his stomach rebels, worms wriggling and flailing. He sighs, and leaves Neymar sleeping to go order food.

 

"Hey, wake up." Leo's hand skims through Neymar's hair, waking him gently from his nap, getting confused owlish blinking in response. "I ordered Italian." Leo thinks he must look strange, because Neymar is staring at him, something odd in his eyes, something unstintingly critical, the same science project look Dani gets.

"You didn't sleep." He says, voice croaky and soft from having just woken up, but there's an undercurrent of disapproving scorn.

"Too much energy." Leo shrugs, it's not quite true, but it's not quite a lie, even so, it feels uncomfortably close to both. There's a knock on the door, and he's grateful that the delivery driver's there so quickly. Neymar's gaze had been heavy, far too heavy for Leo to comfortably endure and he needed to get away from it. He pays the delivery guy, and carries the containers of food to the living room. Neymar's sitting on the couch, the TV on, flicking through stations.

"I'm surprised you've got more than basic." Neymar smiles at him, and Leo shrugs, heading for the kitchen, basic cable seemed too cheap even for him. "Ooo..." Neymar grins, the TV playing The Grinch. "I know you're a fan." He says with an easy laugh, and Leo shakes his head, returning with forks.

"You're really gonna watch this?" He sits by Neymar, who looks over at him with a big shit-eating grin that makes him look much more like the Neymar who was only a kid.

"You object?" He sets the remote on the cushion between them, and starts opening containers. The scent of the food makes Leo's stomach grumble, so he ignores the TV in favor of joining in the opening. Neymar smiles slightly, and steals the olive between Leo's fingers. "Yewuch. How the fuck can you eat those things?" He scrunches his nose up, pulling an exaggeratedly disgusted face. Leo catches the back of his neck, drawing him closer.

"Like many of the finer things in life, they're an acquired taste." Leo kisses him, chasing the taste of olives, mingled in with the flavor of Neymar. "Yummy." He smirks, letting Neymar go, and returning to polishing off the olives.

"Whatever." Neymar grabs the pot of pasta he seems to have decided he likes and tucks his feet up under himself, his attention caught by the far from seasonal kids' movie on the screen. They eat in companionable silence, Neymar getting tired of eating far quicker than Leo, curling up on the opposite side of the couch, half-watching TV, half-watching Leo. The weight of his gaze is damn near tangible, and Leo wishes that he knew how to either shrug it off or be able to tolerate it better. Brazil bred bastards and their weighty, evaluating, judging, pre-empting, scheming stares are the bane of his life.

"So, popping?" Leo turns to him with a grin, once the last of the antipasti's finished, the containers scattered on the table. He reaches over to Neymar and pulls him close, kissing him firmly.

"Ich..." Neymar pulls away from him; a frown on his face. Leo rolls his eyes, and pushes Neymar from him.

"Lie down." Leo's hands are pulling Neymar's clothes from him even as he tries to comply with the request to lie down. Eventually, he's naked, sprawled on the couch before Leo.

"Wait... Lube?" He looks up at Leo, eyebrow raised, and Leo frowns, trying to think if he has any lube in this house. "Oh for fuck sake, my bag. Wait and I'll-"

"Nope. You stay there. You're not getting to walk around all naked and shit." Leo mutters, running a hand down Neymar's chest, and pushing against him slightly, forcing him to lie once more. "I'll get it."

"Hurry up, then. Little pocket on the inside." Neymar licks his palm and slowly starts jacking himself off. Leo stands watching him, his cock firming up under his actions. He spreads his legs a little, bracing his feet on the sofa's cushions and starts to fuck his hand, the head of his cock appearing and disappearing rapidly. Leo makes an inarticulate noise, and undoes his fly "Ahem!" His eyes flicker to Neymar's face, something mildly irritated there. "Lube?"

"Right, right, yeah..." Leo shakes his head, and tugs his shirt over his head. "Lube." He reluctantly turns from Neymar. He'd almost be willing to sit back and watch Neymar pop the couch's cherry all on his lonesome, there are few sights more visually appealing than Neymar playing with himself. When he returns, Neymar is hard, a little pre-cum leaking from the tip of his cock, his eyes just on the edge of glassy in arousal. "Look at you, all wet." Leo swipes at the head of Neymar's cock, and raises his finger to Neymar's lips, his tongue laps at the drop of fluid. "Do you taste good? Hmm, Ney? You thinkin' bout me?" Leo shucks the rest of his clothes and settles between Neymar's thighs. He leans forward and kisses Neymar again, but he pulls away, disgust on his face once more.

"Still taste like olives." He mutters, his nose crinkling once more, his hands pushing at Leo's shoulders, his tongue flicking over his lips. Leo laughs and mouths his way down Neymar's chest, nibbling at his nipples lightly, fingers stroking up his sides to pinch at the little nubs of flesh, as his mouth moves further down Neymar's body.

"Gimme something to get the taste outta my mouth then." Leo speaks against the skin of Neymar's stomach. "You taste so good, Ney." He mutters, licking a stripe over the caramel skin, absently imaging it tastes like the soft sweet chocolate. Neymar groans, a soft cross between annoyed and aroused.

"You gonna soundtrack this all the way?" Leo nips at his hipbone, drawing a moan from him, one leg moving to rest its foot on the floor. "Cause if you are, I might just buy earplugs."

"Hmm, empty threat." Leo nips at the other hip, and licks up the underside of Neymar's cock, wrenching a softly panted fuck from his lips.

"I might." He moans, his hands moving to Leo's head, carding through his hair. "I might not, but there's always a chance I will." His hips buck as Leo engulfs the head of his cock. "More." He pants, and Leo sets the bottle of lube on his stomach.

"Open that." Leo pulls back from Neymar's cock long enough to tell him, and then returns to suckling on it, his tongue swirling around the head, lapping up every drop of pre-cum Neymar produces. He watches Neymar through half-lidded eyes, watches him trying to coordinate himself enough to open the bottle. It's reassuringly amusing watching Neymar struggle with something so mundane whilst being pleasured by him. Eventually, the cap is off, and Leo holds a hand out, a little of the lube is dribbled onto his fingers, and he pulls away from Neymar's cock.

"No..." Neymar groans, the foot on the floor being lifted, its leg wrapping around Leo.

"Aww, you wanted me to suck you dry? Drink down your cum? Get rid of the nasty taste of olives, huh?" Leo smirks at him, and Neymar rolls his eyes, his foot pushing Leo away instead of drawing him closer.

"There are times I consider cutting out your tongue." Neymar mutters, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

"When you tear out a man's tongue, you are not proving him a liar; you're only telling the world that you fear what he might say." Leo smirks at him, and Neymar looks at him. "What? I like Tyrion... He has all the good lines." Leo slides a finger inside of Neymar, smirk growing, as Neymar doesn't bother replying, instead, arching his back and moaning. A second finger is added to Neymar's body quickly, his hips moving in time with the thrusts Leo is making. "That's it, lemme in." Leo mumbles against Neymar's tattooed collarbone as he works a third, then fourth finger into him. "You know... It'd be hot if you could take my whole hand." Leo tries to keep the smirk out of his voice, he's sure he knows how Neymar will react to that statement.

"Try it." His voice is a dangerous little hiss, as Leo had expected. "Just fucking try it, and see how far you get." Leo kisses his temple, and withdraws his fingers from Neymar.

"Hmm..." He pours more lube over his cock, and nudges it against Neymar's asshole. "I already got your mom threatening to cut my balls off, don't need you doing it too." He kisses Neymar's temple again and thrusts into him rapidly, burying his cock inside of Neymar fully without warning. Neymar gasps, his back arching off the couch, his legs wrapping around Leo's waist.

"Fuck! Warn me." He snaps, his hands restlessly clawing at Leo's shoulder blades, the little stings of distressingly pleasurable pain sending shivers down Leo's spine. "When did Dani threaten to castrate you?" He asks eventually, his hands movements slowed to soft strokes, his legs squeezing Leo gently as he talks.

"So you'll have a chat about your Dani during sex, but if I mention all the things I'd do to you, I get told to shut up." Leo snorts, pulling out slightly. "Unfair whore." He trusts forward, rocking his hips slowly, fucking him slowly like this for a while before answering his question. "A few weeks ago, when I went to you in Paris." Neymar stares up at him, confusion clouding his eyes.

"Huh? Few weeks ago?" Leo shakes his head, leaning down to kiss Neymar, hard and fast, a counter to the gentle rocking thrusts of his hips.

"You like this... So lost... It's perfect, you know that?" Leo mutters, and begins fucking Neymar, truly fucking him, thrusts hard and firm, hands groping and grabbing at him, kisses more like battles of teeth, tongue and lips. Leo can feel his orgasm building rapidly, can feel it churning in the pit of his stomach. "Come on, Neymar." He gasps into Neymar's ear, snagging the earrings between his teeth briefly. "Gonna fill you up, but I wanna see you to come first. Come for me?" Neymar's eyes snap open, his hand wraps around his cock, and he strokes slowly.

"I make you come first, next time you shut the fuck up." He groans, his body squeezing Leo's length tightly, a low moan escapes Leo.

"Deal." Leo moans again, fucking into Neymar's clenching body firmly. He tries to hold on, tries to resist the way Neymar feels around him, but it's a losing battle. He comes with an inarticulate noise, his face against Neymar's neck and the feeling of Neymar's hand bumping against his stomach, as he chases his own orgasm.

"I won." He sounds unreasonably smug. Leo kisses him, and tastes the exact moment Neymar climaxes, his cum spreads over his fingers, damp between their stomachs. Leo breaks the kiss and leans back, watches as Neymar raises his hand to his lips, intending to lick his own cum from the digits.

"Gimme." Leo grabs his wrist and licks the cum up, leaving Neymar's hand shining with saliva, but clean. It takes some careful maneuvering but eventually, Leo ends up on his back, Neymar's head resting on his shoulder, their legs tangled.

"Where you off to on Friday?" Neymar asks eventually, his fingers drawing absent shapes on Leo's chest.

"You gonna stay till then?" Neymar nods absently, kissing the underside of Leo's chin, nuzzling against his throat lightly. Instead of answering, or even addressing that nod, Leo runs his hand through Neymar's damp hair, smoothing it back, tilting his face up to him. "Mohawk was always an interesting look for you." Leo mutters, smoothing Neymar's hair, smirking slightly at him. Dragging Leo's hand from his hair, looking at the TV trying to fix it, like the kid Leo used to know, still obsessed with how he looks even in Leo house after he got fucked.

"you’re so obsessed with your hair babe." Leo ruffles the hair on the back of Neymar's head, and kisses his forehead.

"What'd you care, anyways?" Neymar's voice is soft, sleepy in the afterglow of his orgasm. Leo shrugs vaguely, his hand resting on back of Neymar's head.

"I like you with your natural curly hair..." Leo mutters, his fingers running through the light brown straight strands. " Fluffy." Leo smiles against the soft, if damp, hair, pressing several small soft kisses to it.

"Go to sleep, Leo. You've gotta be tired." Neymar's words feel like caresses, and Leo yawns. His eyes drifting closed, sleep creeping over him. He feels Neymar move from on top of him, turns to try to catch the retreating form. "Gonna order some stuff to feed you in the morning. Sleep, I won't be long." A soft kiss pressed to his temple and some indistinct words murmured into his hair are the last things that register with Leo before he falls asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews, comments, concerns and kudos are always welcomed.


	7. The Vice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo's mind starts planning, starts plotting where to go and what to do, how to react if someone spots them together, the potential articles in Marca or Sport, the rumors that Neymar will be returning to Barcelona next season because he was visiting Lionel Messi. It feels normal to be planning, it feels normal to be thinking ahead, trying to second-guess the World, and picking the scenario where he comes out on top. It's normal, it's familiar, and it does nothing about his vice/worm malady combo.

"Well, I guess, but I don't see how that would help any." Leo wakes to sound of Neymar's voice and a hand moving through his hair. "Ha, yeah... Great idea, Dani. What, well maybe, but that's not really the point is it?" Neymar's fingers come to a tangle in the mess on Leo's head, and begin gently tugging at it, trying to separate the strands. "Fucking sort out your messes before trying to fix mine, asshole." Neymar sounds mildly annoyed, and Leo turns to lie on his back, staring up at him. Neymar smiles down at him, mouthing hey, before laughing loudly. "No, just all kinds of no." Leo snags Neymar's hand and laces their fingers, resting their hands on his chest. He doesn't much like people fussing with his hair, and that's the only reason he stopped Neymar's fingers running through it, it honestly is, even if the worms in his stomach disagree. He closes his eyes, listening to Neymar talk in Portuguese to his best friend, hearing the one-sided, he only understands some sentences, it’s apparently rambling conversation. It all feels painfully tranquil. Leo lies and waits to feel the itchy urge to move, but nothing comes to him. He lies there, his eyes closed listening, trying to make out Dani, but all that he can hear is a vague jumble of sound from the other end of the line, and feels content. Eventually, he lets go of Neymar's fingers and sits up, even if he doesn't feel the need to, he thinks he should be in motion somehow. He stands and pulls his clothes on quickly; vaguely puzzled over where the blanket that was draped over him came from, he's certain he's never seen the ugly tartan thing before.

"Piss." He says quietly, and leaves the living room, heading to the bathroom. It wasn't quite a lie, but the truth is he was feeling too comfortable resting in Neymar's lap, too settled, and that unsettled him more than he thinks it should have. In the bathroom, he stands staring at his reflection; the neatened mop of hair on his head is mildly disconcerting. He's not sure how long he hides out in the bathroom, ignoring the wriggling of his stomach, ignoring the way his hair is feeling odd, he'd messed it up once more, and now the strands feel like they're sitting wrong, as if they're folded at odd angles, and it doesn't feel right. Eventually he leaves the bathroom, returns to the living room, and leans on the door frame. Neymar is still sprawled on the couch, still talking to Dani.

"No! I'm sending you nothing! Forget it... I don't care! The answer is and will always be no. Who the fuck are- Oh... Really?” Neymar laughs, something clenches in Leo's chest, something new and vice-like. Neymar and the horrid physical sensations he causes in Leo might well be the death of him. "You mean serenade... I'm in Barcelona, I'm certain I can find a karaoke bar, Dani!" Another laugh, this time colored with fond exasperation. Leo walks over to the couch, drapes himself over the back of it, leaning his head close to Neymar's.

"I can see King Wenceslas, now, all on one knee. I think the Grinch song is an appropriate ballad for a miserable bitch like you, Ney." Leo snorts, he definitely cannot picture himself serenading Neymar, no matter how amusing the idea might sound.

"Go to sleep, Dani. It's late." Leo pitches his voice loud enough to be heard on the other end of the phone, Dani laughs loud and clear.Pay attention to me. Leo mouths over at Neymar, who responds by pecking him lightly on the nose.

"Yes, mom... Maybe. Yeah, yeah, I'll be home Friday. Water the girls. Be careful with Blanche, I think she needs more sun, move her round a bit. What? Oh, fuck off, it's entirely reasonable to name plants. Fuck you, Alves! Okay, okay, fine. Oh, blah, blah, blah, be good. Yes, honey, love you too. Goodbye. No seriously, fuck off. Pick me up on Friday." Neymar hangs up, and tosses his cell onto the table. Leo stamps down the sting of jealousy at Neymar telling Dani he loves him, of course he loves Dani, they're best friends, brothers even, more than likely, closer than brothers really, but that statement feels like it lessens the confession of love he made earlier. It might be that the love you too is a stock comment Neymar makes to many things, it might have been nothing more than a comeback, it might have been nothing to him, not that it was anything to Leo. It's depressing how easy it is to lie to himself sometimes, though the worms refuse to let him believe his own lies.

"I told you your mom was chatty." Leo mutters pulling Neymar to him, kissing him firmly, trying to impress something on Neymar, trying to make it mean the something ill-defined in Leo's mind to Neymar. He leans back on the couch, and draws Neymar to lie over him. "Can barely get him to shut up once he starts." Leo kisses Neymar once more.

"That was a quick phone call." Neymar smirks in response; Leo snorts, and snags the TV remote from the table.

"You were talking forever. If that was quick, I'm sure you're probably still having a conversation somewhere." He clicks the TV and starts channel surfing.

"Undoubtedly, in some alternate universe somewhere, we'll be having an important discourse." Neymar squirms, presses a quick kiss to the underside of Leo's jaw, and twists so he can see the TV properly.

"About getting me to sing karaoke?" Leo steadfastly ignores the vice in his chest that tightens that little more with Neymar snuggled up on top of him. Worms, vices, at this rate he's going to have a garage of minor maladies to attribute to the snuggling, nuzzling, cuddling bitch on top of him.

"Like I said... Important." Neymar squirms again, and Leo shakes his head, clicking through the channels trying to find something worth staring at until he's tired again. Neymar seems quite content lying on top of him, absently stroking Leo's chest, and Leo can think of worse ways to be spending their time, karaoke being the top of that list. They end up watching TV for hours. It should be painful in its domesticity for Leo. He's not a domestic creature by nature, so this should be torture for him, this peaceful sitting around doing nothing, but it's not. It's painfully comfortable, painfully easy to sit stroking Neymar's skin where Leo had wriggled his hand underneath his shirt, painfully easy to lay there feeling absolutely like there's nowhere else he needs to be and that terrifies Leo more than he can explain even, especially, to himself. That night, in bed, Neymar lies on his side away from Leo, and Leo spends a good long time staring at his back, staring and wondering things he doesn't want to think about because they make him feel foolish, and Leo isn't a fool, no matter what the worms and vice tell him otherwise.

The morning comes, and Leo finds himself plastered against Neymar's back, his arms wrapped tightly around Neymar's waist, his face buried against Neymar's neck. He pulls away far quicker than he perhaps should have, Neymar making a soft noise of complaint. Leo's hand reaches out to stroke his hair without thought, soothing Neymar back to sleep automatically. He shakes his head and gets out of bed. He's not wasting another day in the house, sprawling over furniture and watching TV. He's been lazy enough, today they'll do something, the rest of week, they'll do something every day. Leo's mind starts planning, starts plotting where to go and what to do, how to react if someone spots them together, the potential articles in Marca or Sport, the rumors that Neymar will be returning to Barcelona next season because he was visiting Lionel Messi. It feels normal to be planning, it feels normal to be thinking ahead, trying to second-guess the World, and picking the scenario where he comes out on top. It's normal, it's familiar, and it does nothing about his vice/worm malady combo.

Over the next few days, it gets worse; it's getting to the point where Leo is vaguely convinced it's nothing to do with Neymar, that instead he's actually sick. He makes a vague plan to talk to the doctors on Monday when he's back at work. The thought of returning to the pitch makes the worms spring to life even with Neymar snuggled on top of him, snuffling at his throat, all warm, soft and bastard confusing. Every random activity, every random outing, every random idea, and some of them have been very random, has been gone along with without complaint, as though Neymar was letting Leo get something out of his system, as though he knew something that Leo doesn't, but if Leo is honest, that's generally the case with Neymar. That dose of normalcy was strangely pleasant for Leo though, it feels like a strange extended holiday, and whilst he still perpetually feels sick, he's had fun. Only it's all over tomorrow. Tomorrow, Neymar gets on a plane home to Paris and Leo gets on a plane to Basque. He's going to be denied easy access to his whatever Neymar is to him. The idea of trying to define this thing has been weighing on his mind, but he can't bring himself to ask Neymar about it, can't bring himself to weigh in without Neymar's opinion, and it seems Neymar can't decide either. Dozens of times over the last few days, when they've lain on the couch, he's looked at Leo with one of those indecipherable, Brazil bred bastard stares, his mouth open to speak and changed his mind at the last minute. Not that Leo really minds, if anything it makes him feel better, if there's no decision from Neymar, it means that whole love you too incident can be ignored, just Neymar thing, and that's a relief. At least Leo keeps telling himself that it is, because between the worms and his new found vice, he's certain that there's perhaps a part of him that wishes it wasn't.

"Last night of your holiday, whatcha wanna do?" Neymar is sprawled on one end of couch, Leo on the other, watching him carefully, wondering vaguely if he should haul Neymar over to him; Neymar always seems much more content cuddling.

"Fuck." Leo smirks over at him, and Neymar rolls his eyes.

"Really? Every night you've fucked me, you ain't got anything more original?" Neymar crawls over the couch and straddles Leo's thighs, a wry twist to his lips.

"Original?" Leo laughs, rests his hand on Neymar's head, and tilts it to one side. "I've got plenty of original ideas, baby." He licks a stripe up Neymar's throat quickly, before there can be any retaliation for baby. The sharp, little cuff to the back of his head comes as no surprise. "Ooo, kinky." He smirks at Neymar who scowls at him, eyes narrowed. "You wanna play rough tonight, baby?" He chuckles, and pushes Neymar backwards on to the floor. He catches himself awkward on his hands, and scowls up at Leo.

"You really wanna play dirty, Leo?" Neymar's voice is a low, dark sneer, and Leo can feel a smirk on his lips. It's been a long time since ill-tempered, capricious Neymar has come out to play. Leo stands, offering his hand down to Neymar, and hauls him to his feet once it's accepted.

"Gonna fuck you so hard, you'll feel it till I get back to you." Leo mutters, before kissing him, harsh and fast, teeth clashing, hands grabbing and desperate. "Gonna make you scream." He bites at Neymar's throat, feels a low groan rumbling in his throat.

"Promises, promises." Neymar snaps, and kisses Leo back, his hands tugging Leo's hair at the roots. "Bed, if you're fucking me, it gonna be there." Neymar pulls away and pulls his shirt over his head, throwing it over his shoulder, apparently unconcerned if Leo's following him or not. By the time Leo makes it to the bedroom, Neymar is naked and fingering himself open. Leo pauses, watching the scene before him. There's always a little part of him that's tempted just to watch Neymar like this, watch him bring himself off with only his own fingers, but that little part is always over-ruled by Leo's cock.

"You ready?" Leo asks, stripping quickly, and getting on the bed between Neymar's legs.

"Feel for yourself." Neymar smirks at him, something different in his eyes. "You think I'm ready for your fat cock, sugar muffin?" Leo blinks up at him.

"Sugar muffin?" There's no doubt in Leo's mind that he sounds bewildered.

"What, sweetness? You don't like cute little pet names? Aww, poor little buttercup, I guess, you'll just have to deal with it. That is if you wanna fuck my pretty little ass, honey cake." Leo blinks down at him, torn between laughing and cringing. It seems Neymar is playing chicken with terrible dirty talk.

"Oh, I want your sweet little ass, Ney." Leo leans over and nips at Neymar's throat, snagging the lube, coating a couple of his fingers and easing one in alongside Neymar's own, Rubbing over his prostate gently, making him moan and lose grip of his irritation.

"That's it Ney lemme hear the pretty little noises you make. Sing for me, like a little sexy nightingale." Leo murmurs softly, watching annoyance and arousal warring in Neymar's eyes. He started this little game, he should know by now that he's playing with a master.

"Ooooh yeeeaah, that feels so good." Leo has to hold back a laugh, the half-smirk, half-scowl on Neymar's face says he'd agree if what Leo was doing didn't feel so good.

"I'm gonna fuck you so good, my little Jack-o'-lantern that you'll be begging Dani for the other Poffo's number so you can get poetry tips." Leo pulls his fingers out of Neymar, taking a hold of Neymar's wrist, and guiding his finger out of his hole. Leo coats his cock and eases inside of Neymar. "Gonna savage this ass of yours, baby."

"Oh fuck!" Neymar groans, and Leo laughs, leans down and nibbles on Neymar's throat again.

"I win?" He sounds smug, he knows he sounds smug, but really, victories over Neymar are few and far between.

"Yes! Please, no more Poffo family sex puns." Neymar looks up at him, all earnest and shockingly sweet. "I can't take it, the normal shit is infinitely preferable to that."Neymar's legs wrap around his waist, and he cants his hips, forcing more of Leo into him. Leo smirks, and thrusts fully into Neymar, pressing a soft kiss to his temple. Neymar moans, his head tilting back, baring his throat to Leo. The brief desire to fuck Neymar rough and dirty has faded, in favor of wanting to take him slowly and gently. It's an unexpected desire, mostly because Leo can't quite remember the last time they had hard, fast, dirty sex, and that had really been the staple of their sexual interactions for so long, it feels like something Leo should miss more.

"Oh, fuck... Will it get it out of your system?" Neymar smiles up at him, something oddly soft in his eyes.

"Maybe?" Leo had honestly forgotten what they were talking about, instead focused on the feeling of Neymar's tight body around him, and his deep eyes gazing up at him, the vice in his chest tightening with each passing second. Neymar closes his eyes, and Leo stares down at him, briefly scandalized.

Leo brushes what can barely be called a kiss over Neymar's lips and pulls back a little, before rocking slowly into Neymar. "I'm not in the mood." He smiles down at a confused looking Neymar, and kisses him again, all soft and ephemeral. Leo's not entirely sure what's behind this but, he's really not in the mood for anything crude right now, all he wants is to watch Neymar come slowly undone, to see him unravel, thread by thread, as a result of Leo's actions. He rocks slowly in and out of Neymar's body, brushing barely there kisses over his face, tasting the slowly building sheen of sweat on his brow, listening to the soft gasping moans he gives. This is somehow so much better than a quick, dirty fuck, this quietness the worms into nonexistence, but the vice grows tighter with each thrust, and by the time Neymar is coming beneath him, with a shuddering gasp, the vice feels like it's squeezing his heart into stopping.

"On your back?" Neymar gazes up at him, eyes soft and hazy, the vice in his chest manages to clench a little tighter. Leo nods and pulls out of Neymar, flopping onto his back, and catching the hand Neymar had come over. Leo's sure it's habit that makes his lap Neymar's cum from his fingers, habit and not fondness for the way those long, slender fingers taste covered in cum. Neymar arranges himself between Leo's legs and sucks his cock down. Leo's hips buck up, and his head falls back against the pillows. He's surprised that Neymar is willing to blow him; he'd never expected Neymar to suck his cock after it's been fucking his ass. The idea brings Leo a little closer to the edge, Neymar is sucking the flavor of his own body from Leo's cock, and the thought of Neymar tasting their flavors combined has Leo feeling slightly jealous. He comes quickly under Neymar's ministrations, and hauls him quickly up the bed, kissing him hungrily, chasing their combined taste in Neymar's mouth.

"Fuck..." Leo pulls back eventually, loosening but not releasing his grip on Neymar's hair. "That was good." He smiles at Neymar, and Neymar nods slowly, eyes narrowed. Leo almost frowns, the narrowed gaze is a thousand things he doesn't know but in there, under the layer upon layer upon layer of unreadable, is that failing science project Brazil bred bastard stare. Leo breaks the almost staring contest first, closing his eyes, and letting go of Neymar's hair.

"Tired now." Neymar says tiredly.

"You're younger than I am, you're supposed to be full of beans." Neymar moves from on top of him and stands, tugging at the blankets underneath Leo.

"I did all the hard work, you had it easy old man." Neymar retorts half-heartedly, squirming so that he's under the blankets, Leo holds his arms out to Neymar. He wants Neymar close tonight for reasons he's not going to examine; he just wants to fall asleep to the feeling of Neymar on top of him, safe and warm, bundled up in Leo's arms. Neymar laughs, but comes to Leo easily, settling in his embrace without protest.

"Yeah, yeah, go to sleep." Neymar nuzzles at Leo's throat, settling in his arms easily, falling asleep without difficulty. Leo lies awake stroking his hair for a long time, lies there and quietly enjoys not feeling sick for a change.

 

"Wakey-wakey." Leo wakes up to the scent of coffee and a fully dressed Neymar, sitting perched on the edge of the bed, a lazily satisfied grin on his face. "C'mon sleeping beauty, if you wanna go to training you gotta get a move on." Leo groans, sitting up and accepting the mug from Neymar.

"Managed to not burn it, I see." Leo mutters, sipping at the contents of the mug.

"Yup, I'm so proud." Neymar smirks, and stands up, stretching and leaves the room. Leo stares down at the murky coffee and scrubs at his face. This is likely the last morning in a while that he'll have Neymar with him, he's not exactly looking forward to being back on the road but it'll certainly feel more normal than these last few days. He finishes his coffee, and rolls out of bed, pulling on some clothes. Neymar's flight leaves far earlier than his, a quick glance at the clock shows he's got maybe thirty minutes to say goodbye. In the living room, Neymar is tidying up their mess, his packed bag by the front door.

"Gimme that cup." He glances up from stuffing takeout containers in a trash bag, and Leo shakes his head.

"I can wash dishes, Ney." Leo mutters, taking his dirty mug to the kitchen. Domestic, it all feels so domestic, and normal. It's depressingly bewildering, but this is the last day of this domesticity, this time tomorrow Leo will be waking up in a messy hotel room, getting ready to go to the next city. He's incredibly unsurprised by the worms, the vice in his chest is still taking some getting used to though, he's definitely planning a trip to the doctors tonight.

"Very impressive. Dry them and put them away before you go." Neymar's leaning against the door frame, a smirk on his lips. There's the honk of a horn, and Leo concludes that's Neymar's taxi. He trails along behind him, watches as he pulls on his shoes and jacket.

"I was thinking..." Leo starts, but thinks better of it. It'd been asking Neymar if he intended to be anywhere near Camp Nou or anything about Barca that had caused him to go sulk at Dani's before start of UCL knockout stage after all.

"I can't." Neymar says softly, shouldering his bag and stepping closer to Leo, his forehead resting on Leo's shoulder. "I'd... I almost want to, but I can't." He sighs, and Leo's hands come to rest on his waist. "I'm sorry." He sighs again and Leo nods, by the sound of Neymar's voice, he is genuinely sorry he won't be there.

"I'll pass along your condolences?" Leo makes it a question; he doesn't want to make assumptions. Neymar nods against his shoulder, his arms wrapping around Leo holding himself tight to Leo's chest. They stand like that for far longer than Leo is entirely comfortable with, the worms and the vice in his chest seem to be working in concert to ensure that he never feels completely normal in close proximity to Neymar ever again. It's times like this he wishes he felt the itch in the back of his head, but it never comes, he just stands there feeling slightly unwell stroking Neymar's body through his clothes, until the blare of the horn of taxi taking him to the airport sounds again. Neymar kisses him feather soft, and steps away, a bastard unreadable expression in his eyes.

"You know." He smiles slightly, cupping Leo's cheek, kissing him again. "I had a dog as a kid." Leo raises an eyebrow, slightly confused.

"Oh?" He asks, getting the feeling that this is another one of those sphinx bastard riddles Neymar likes to pose.

"Yup. Come visit me? Bring flowers." Neymar smiles again, and leaves. Leo stands uselessly in his doorway, staring out of the door into the empty hallway, feeling sicker than before, but relieved that Neymar didn't ask him to bring him a puppy; he's not too good with animals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews, comments, concerns and kudos are always welcomed.
> 
> I've just realized Ney will be out for ten weeks with a foot injury, it's just so saddening and frustrating. He's going to miss both matches against Manchester United and if PSG get eliminated from UCL I don't know what Neymar got to do in Paris anymore... he deserve so much more than an injury in an unimportant match and a meaningless season, hope he change his club although I think they won't let him go easily.


	8. Visiting Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're so pretty, baby." Leo mutters, kissing Neymar slowly, getting a little pleased moan in response. Half-asleep Neymar isn't something Leo's tried to seduce before but it might be worth it if he keeps moaning like that. "How can I sleep when you're so pretty?" Another slow soft kiss, this time accompanied with a stroke down Neymar's back, Leo's hand sliding under his boxers. "All soft and pretty. The prettiest boy in the world.The prettiest boy I could ever ask for. You miss me, baby? Hmm?" Leo squeezes Neymar's ass gently, carefully treading a line between soft sleepy Neymar, and more awake, more aroused Neymar.

"Hey." Its boredom and an inability to sleep due to pain of defeat that makes Leo call Neymar, nothing the wriggling mass of his stomach and the clenching ache of chest say will make him change his mind on that.

"Hello? Thought you'd be sleeping." Neymar sounds confused, wide-awake but confused.

"I hurt." Leo isn't entirely sure what to talk about; he's not thought of any topics, not thought of any words worth saying, and the why of this call is becoming almost unavoidable.

"Uh-huh? Why?" Neymar is awake but distracted, his response vague and succinct.

"Roma." Leo returns the favor, somehow just having a sliver of Neymar's attention is alleviating the worms somewhat, just having the sounds of whatever it is that's holding his attention drift over the phone line is making Leo feel a little better, making sleep a little closer. It's pathetic, really.

"What?" Neymar's attention is suddenly on the call, his tone sharp and dark.

"Roma." Leo repeats and listens to Neymar take a deep breath.

"Sorry, I didn’t watch, you sound tired. What's up?", there's something undeniably sexy about laziness and Portuguese accent in Neymar’s husky voice, but he's not really in the mood to jerk off, he's too sore and too tired.

"Talk to me." It's not what he meant to say, it's so far from what he wanted to say, that he almost wants to hang up, and force himself to sleep, but then again he's not entirely sure what he did want to say in the first place, something less stupid, either way. Neymar laughs softly at him.

"Well, alright, but you brought this on yourself... So, I've won the FIFA like a million times already, and Dani, he's damn sick of it, cause I keep beating his ass." Neymar starts rambling, his tone easily genial, and Leo closes his eyes, letting Neymar's voice wash over him. "So he goes and tries to find an other game. I swear he opens boxes of shit I didn't even know I had.”

"Uh-huh..." The urge to pretend to be listening so Neymar doesn't stop talking is ridiculously strong, the last thing Leo wants right now is for this soft babble of words to end, it's like lying on a beach listening to the waves breaking on shingle, tranquil, peaceful, domestic.

"The game was even fucking older than '94, but according to Dani 'Anything is better than watching you play this fucking shit, Ney.' " Despite them being so close, Neymar really does do a terrible impression of Dani. Leo's fairly sure he could do a better one, but not right now, because the worms are asleep, and he's half-way there too. "So we start playing it, and we've been playing it since I got back. We're on level ninety-eight, and we've still got like four bits of this fucking spaceship to find. Ninety-eight levels and we only have six pieces... It might actually take forever to finish this game. We might actually still be playing when you come to visit. And these fuckers keep chasing me! I never wanna see another fucking ice cream truck again." It's the last thing Leo is consciously aware of before he falls asleep, the rest of ramble he vaguely hears is something about chickens armed with tomato-firing mortars, but surely, that has to be a dream.

The next day, Leo will admit he's in a mood, a worse mood than usual. He's snappy, vicious almost, biting any hand that comes too close, regardless of its intentions to feed or otherwise. The worms seem to have liquidized, replaced with sloshing bile, and the vice in his chest is wound tight. He can't say why, because he slept fine, slept long and deep, and everything about the day so far has been mundanely ordinary. The only thing it could possibly be is, that this morning he'd woken up in an empty bed with his drained cell on his chest; the lightness of it had been painfully horrible. After those few days of domesticity with Neymar, he needs to remember how to sleep in an empty bed, and right now, he's not sure he wants to but it's a necessity.

 

"How well do you know Neymar?" Asking Gerard is a desperate attempt, but Leo feels like he should at least try to puzzle out Neymar's sphinx bastard riddle.

'You know, I had a dog as a kid.'

He doesn't want a dog, he said that clearly enough, and really that would be far too easy a solution; the real answer will be something else, something more obscure. The main problem is Leo has never really tried to solve one of these sphinx riddles before, he'd always accepted them as hazards of fucking Neymar, and forgotten them. 

"About as well as anyone, I guess. What's the context?" Gerard looks confused, eyebrows knit, mouth drawn tight.

"What'd you know about him and dogs?" It feels like the most stupid question in the world, the laugh that Gerard gives, and the utter confusion on Luis's face as he approaches Leo and a half dying of laughter Gerard, confirms that asking his friends was the not best idea Leo's ever had, and that possibly was the stupidest question in the world.

"Who and dogs?" Luis asks, tossing a bottle of water to Gerard, and opening his own.

"Neymar." Gerard informs him, grin still on his face, and laughter still interrupting his words.

"Your woman is hard work, Leo." Luis laughs, sitting on the couch by Gerard. "He wants a dog now?"

"No, I don't think so... You're both no fucking help, you know that. Fucking useless the pair of you." Leo slumps on to a chair in locker room and scowls at them both. His friends are no use, the one person who might be of some use, he doesn't particularly want to bother more than he has to, Dani might be willing to play matchmaker, but it seems to be very much on his own terms, actually going with a problem, or a question would cheating in this game of wits, at least that's what Leo thinks, the rules the Brazilians play by, really, are only known by them.

He gets one day free that week, one day and he spends far too much of it getting from airport to the flower store in Paris. The old lady recognizes him, greets him with a smile, and he manages something almost like one in response.

"The usual?" She laughs and starts arranging the cheerfully yellow flowers into a bouquet. "How is your gentleman friend?" She smiles again and Leo rubs his eyes, he's tired, and he shouldn't have bothered coming all this way for what'll be only a few hours, all he'll have time to do is give Neymar his flowers, and sleep. Yet the thought of not coming to Paris hadn't crossed his mind till he paying the old lady.

At Neymar's place he rings the doorbell and waits, flowers gripped in his hand, his bag heavy on his shoulder.

"Who is it?" It's actually a surprise that Neymar answers the intercom, Leo had gotten used to Dani being doorman.

"Open the door, Ney." The door opens eventually, and standing in front of him is Neymar, slightly out of breath but grinning.

"Hi!" He pulls Leo into a hug, then holds him out at arm's length. "You tired? C'mon, I'll feed you then you can sleep." He ushers Leo inside, closing the door behind them. Once it's closed, Leo pulls Neymar to him, bundles him up in a hug, his face pressed against Neymar's neck.

"Miss me?" He mutters, holding Neymar close, vaguely concerned that the flowers might be being squashed.

"Hmm, I could be persuaded into it." Neymar laughs, returning Leo's embrace just as firmly. "You missed me, I see, and you remembered my flowers. Good boy." Neymar pats him on the head as he pulls away from Leo, a smile on his lips. "C'mon, I'm sure there's food in here."

Domestic is the only way to describe how Leo feels right now, sprawled over Neymar couch, stomach full. He feels lazily content, like a well-fed cat that's found a comfortable spot in a sunbeam to sleep in. The worms are at peace, though he can attribute that to the fact he's running his fingers through Neymar's hair, the vice is tight in his chest, but that too can be attributed to Neymar's hair.

"I need your help." Neymar mutters after awhile, Leo makes an affirmative noise but isn't really interested, he needs to sleep, whatever it is Neymar needs help with can wait. "Hey, no sleeping, help me, then bed." Neymar stands, and offers his hand back to Leo.

"Urgh, what is it?" Leo lets Neymar pull him to his feet, using the momentum to flop against him, arms over his shoulders, making Neymar stumble under the extra weight.

"C'mon." Neymar leads him to the balcony, and points to four large pots, each with a plant in it. "The Girls." He grins, and Leo scrubs at his face.

"Your plants? You need help with your plants?" Leo sighs, scrubbing at his eyes again.

"I do, I need you to help me take them in for the night." He smiles brightly, pulling some kind of ridiculous puppy-eyed expression. Leo grabs one of the pots and hauls it up.

"Where?" Neymar points to spot just beyond the balcony door, with plastic sheeting spread out on the floor.

"Careful with Sophia! She's little." Neymar snaps as Leo all but drops the pot down, it was heavier than he was expecting.

"Sophia, Blanche? Neymar... Did you name your fucking sunflowers after the Golden Girls?" Leo takes up another one of the pots, being more careful this time, and sets it by the one Neymar just moved.

"Maybe... It's reasonable." Neymar mutters. "Dorothy is the one I need help with, she's getting heavy. Gonna need to re-pot her soon, I think." He sounds unreasonably proud of himself, and Leo shakes his head, getting the feeling that no amount of trying to reason with him will make Neymar realize that this is a very weird situation.

Eventually, with the plants moved, they end up in bed, Leo lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling, one arm wrapped around Neymar, as he lies on his side, his back to Leo.

"What were you talking about?" Leo gets the feeling asking about the dog thing isn't going to help any, but it probably won't do any harm.

"When?" Neymar asks, turning to face Leo, resting his head on Leo's arm.

"In Barca... The dog thing..." Leo's fingers start absently combing through Neymar's hair, his eyes still focused on the ceiling, not wanting to look too much like he cares too much, despite the worms writhing in his stomach.

"Oh! Well, I did." Neymar shrugs, and kisses the underside of Leo's chin. Leo gets the feeling that he's not going to get much more than that.

"And you don't want a pet?" Leo asks tentatively, he really doesn't do well with animals, he's not buying Neymar a dog.

"Fuck no, but I had one, so I always knew, you know." Neymar kisses Leo's chin again, and turns his back to him once more. "G'night" It doesn't take him long to fall asleep, but Leo lies awake for a long time, staring up at the ceiling, having absolutely no idea what this pet dog young Neymar had let him know. Leo lies there cursing Brazil bred sphinx bastards and their inability to say what they fucking mean. Eventually, he gives it up as a lost cause, and turns to lie on his side, tugging Neymar back to lie more firmly against his chest. It's been a week since they've been together, a week since Leo's held him like this, pathetically he's missed it so much more than he'd realized. He buries his nose against Neymar's hair and breathes deeply.

"I've missed you, sphinx bastard that you are." Leo mumbles, and Neymar makes a quiet little noise, yawning as he wakes up.

"Hmm... Thought you'd be asleep." He grumbles and turns in Leo's arms, a sleepy soft expression on his face.

"You're so pretty, baby." Leo mutters, kissing Neymar slowly, getting a little pleased moan in response. Half-asleep Neymar isn't something Leo's tried to seduce before but it might be worth it if he keeps moaning like that. "How can I sleep when you're so pretty?" Another slow soft kiss, this time accompanied with a stroke down Neymar's back, Leo's hand sliding under his boxers. "All soft and pretty. The prettiest boy in the world.The prettiest boy I could ever ask for. You miss me, baby? Hmm?" Leo squeezes Neymar's ass gently, carefully treading a line between soft sleepy Neymar, and more awake, more aroused Neymar.

"Uh-huh, course I did." Neymar yawns, hiding his face against Leo's neck, his breath warm and slightly damp. "Sleepy." He mumbles, and Leo makes a soft little agreeing noise.

"I know, I know... Where's your lube, baby?" Neymar doesn't answer for a long time, and Leo is almost convinced he's fallen back asleep, leaving him with an uncomfortable case of blue balls.

"Drawer." His voice is quiet, hazy, sleepy, but somehow incredibly sexy. This isn't a side of Neymar he's seen before, this fuzzily soft creature gently lapping at his neck is wonderfully unfamiliar. Leo reaches behind him and manages to fish the lube out of the drawer one-handed. He rolls Neymar onto his stomach carefully, pulling his boxers down and off, leaving his ass bare, then sheds his own boxers.

"You sure, baby?" Leo leans over him, kissing over his shoulders, soft little whispers, more like suggestions of kisses than actual ones. Neymar moans softly and wriggles his hips, just a little, just enough to let Leo know its okay. Whilst usually for Leo, that would be more than enough, tonight, he wants something more from Neymar, wants to hear him say he wants this. "Ney, you want me to fuck you?" Leo laps over the tattoo behind his ear, and feels him squirm again, still slow and sleepy.

"Yeah, want you. I'm sure, 'fore you ask." He yawns again and Leo nods, kissing his shoulder once and opening the lube, coating his fingers to ease one inside Neymar. The prep isn't something he wants to draw out, but he doesn't want to lose soft sleepy Neymar, so he has to, has to open him slowly, one finger gradually building to three with far more lube than usual.

"Okay?" Leo lines up carefully, and slides inside Neymar slowly, a whimpering little moan leaving Neymar's lips as Leo fills him.

"Yeah, yeah, good... Slow, 'kay?" Neymar mumbles softly, squirming beneath Leo, drawing his knees up, so that he can take hold of his cock.

"Lemme." Leo mutters in his ear. "I'll take care of you."

"Can you?" Neymar mumbles softly, the question sounds odd, almost given in sphinx tones, but Leo puts it from his mind and kisses Neymar's temple.

"I'll make you come, baby, don't worry." Leo kisses behind his ear and down the back of his neck, to behind his other ear. "Make you come so hard, you'll fall right back to sleep." Another soft moan from Neymar and Leo starts working to make good on his promise, fucking Neymar slow and deep, stroking his cock in time. It's a long, quiet fuck, nothing more than gentle gasping moans and the sound of their bodies moving together. Leo's mind keeps lingering on that question of Neymar's, 'Can you?', he can't help but think that somehow it relates to the whole dog thing. Puzzling out riddles should be counter-productive to sex, but Leo seems to think better whilst fucking Neymar, perhaps the brain is the most powerful sexual organ. Neymar comes quietly, moaning something soft and wispy, something that could be construed as Leo's name. Leo comes biting his lip and trying not to over think what he might have heard as Neymar came. "Ney?" Leo doesn't shake Neymar's shoulder, but he does roll him onto his back, if nothing else Leo made good on his promise to fuck him to sleep. He absently laps Neymar's cum from his fingers, watching him sleep and feeling decidedly like a creep for doing it. "Good night." Leo lays down beside him, stroking over his cheek, until Neymar's eyes open wearily, and he squirms over the bed to flop his head on Leo's chest.

"Go to sleep." He mutters, and Leo finally takes his advice.

Leo wakes to an empty bed; the way the covers are pulled up makes it clear that it's been empty for a while. He rolls onto his back and sighs, the house is quiet, deathly so, and this concerns him. There's always some sort of noise in Neymar's place in the morning, either music or talking, something to show that there's people there, that there's life, but this heavy silence makes the vice tighten earlier than usual, and the worms writhe more vigorously than he'd like.

"Fucking Yeti!" Leo pushes open the living room door and stares at the scene he's greeted with, Dani is sitting curled up on one couch, typing at his laptop, and Neymar is sprawled on his stomach, swearing at his iPad.

"You're still on the Yeti missions?" Dani doesn't look up, and Neymar throws a cushion at him, missing wildly.

"Yes, fucking god damn, fucking game refuses to give me enough green ones!" Neymar snaps, Leo leans against the door frame and watches Neymar as his fingers tap at the screen.

"I told you not to play it, Ney." Dani takes a sip from a cup, still focused on his work, and Neymar throws another cushion, missing once more.

"You shouldn't have fucking installed the bastard thing then!" He seems incredibly irritated with whatever it is that he's doing.

"If I'd known it was going to turn into the new Tetris, I wouldn't have." Dani mutters, catching the next cushion that comes hurtling towards him, and throwing it back at Neymar. It hits him on the ass, and Leo is more than a little impressed at Dani's aim, especially considering he didn't look up once.

"Never speak of that abomination again." Neymar snarls, and Dani starts humming the Tetris song, several more cushions get thrown at him. He manages to amass a small arsenal of his own, but seems to be stockpiling rather than engaging in war.

"So... What's Tetris ever done to you, Neymar?" Leo asks, smirking as Neymar merely waves at him vaguely over his shoulder.

"Hey... You just up?" Leo walks into the room, and looks over Neymar's shoulder.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He asks, watching Neymar playing some hideously brightly colored game.

"Candy Crunch Saga. I apologize now, it's my fault. I should've remembered about his addiction to block puzzles." Dani finally looks up, and throws one of his cushions at Neymar. It bounces off Neymar's head, but he steadfastly ignores it, swiping at the screen angrily once more.

"I'm not addicted... I'll stop once I clear this level." He mutters, another cushion bouncing off his shoulder.

"You said that three hours ago, Ney. You can't still be on the same level." Dani closes his laptop and dumps his remaining cushions on top of Neymar. Leo shakes his head, looking between the two of them.

"He was addicted to Tetris?" Leo's given up trying to watch Neymar playing this game; he can't see the appeal in it at all.

"He was." Dani nods, stashing his laptop in a bag, fetching the other strewn cushions back, adding them to the pile on top of Neymar's back. "On an old game boy, one of the grey ones, you know?" He pauses, waiting for some kind of acknowledgement from Leo, getting a quick nod, and carries on with the story. "He took it everywhere, and I mean everywhere with him." At this Neymar makes an affronted noise.

"Not everywhere!" He's still playing, seemingly taking his game very seriously.

"The bathroom, Ney." Dani intones gravely. "Ace had to confiscate it in the end." Dani kicks at Neymar's leg, clearly trying to distract him from the game. "Isn't that right?" Neymar snorts and turns to Leo.

"Lies, don't believe him." There's a soft smile on Neymar's lips, and Leo can feel an answering one on his face.

"C'mon, you can see that Ney needs a twelve step plan for block puzzle addiction. You believe me, don't you?" Dani slings his bag over his shoulder, and grins at Leo. 

"Before you answer that, consider who sucks your cock." Neymar snaps, eyes still down.

"Hey, I could! I might give awesome head for all you know." Dani laughs, kicking at Neymar's leg again.

"Dani, if you gave awesome head, we'd still be in the same club." Leo mutters, glancing up from staring at the top of Neymar's bowed head, to see Dani's mouth flapping like a fish.

"Oooo, burn." Neymar laughs, and holds his fist out to Leo for a bump, still focused on his game.

"Thank you, thank you." Leo grants the fist bump and smirks at Dani, as he doffs the side of his head, conceding this round to Leo.

"Gimme that, Ney." He reaches for the iPad, managing to pry it from Neymar's clawing fingers.

"Hey, I was playing that!" He looks over a Leo, pulling some kind of pitiful little face. "Stick up for me." He adopts an odd falsetto, and Leo shakes his head. The sphinx bastard is a ridiculous thing more often than not.

"This is coming home with me. It's already becoming the new Tetris." Dani laughs, and leaves the room. "I don't wanna have to call Ace, but I will. You know I will!"

"I really wasn't addicted to Tetris." Neymar turns to Leo, some painfully earnest expression on his face. Leo nods and pats him on the head, he's no doubts that Neymar suffered from a crippling Tetris addiction.

"The bathroom, Ney, the fucking bathroom!" Dani's voice is laced with exasperated fondness.

"I didn't... Well okay, one time, but I was really far." Neymar rubs the back of his neck, and Leo laughs at him, ruffling his hair up.

"Pay attention to your boyfriend." Dani pokes his head round the door, a smirk on his face. "Otherwise, I'll show him just how good my sucking is." He winks and Neymar throws a cushion at him, smacking him dead in the face.

"Asshole! Fuck off, never darken my door again!" Neymar stands, another cushion in his hand.

"Bye-bye, bitch! See you tomorrow, jog round the park?" Leo shakes his head as Dani disappears down the corridor.

"Fuck off! Yes... Twelve-ish?" Neymar calls after him, still standing, tossing the cushion from hand to hand.

"Gladly. If you're awake, text me." Neymar snorts and throws the cushion to Leo, going to fetch the one that hit Dani in the face.

"Good! I will... Piss off." He all but shouts, head round the living room door.

"Yeah, yeah, love you honey." The sound of an exaggerated smack of a kiss accompanies that, and Leo stamps down a sting of foolish jealousy. They're friends, nothing more, nothing to be jealous of in the least.

"Love you too, sweetie, don't come back." Neymar turns from the door, smiling at Leo, as he comes closer to him and wraps his arms around him in a hug, swaying gently from foot to foot.

"Tomorrow then?" By the sounds of things, Dani must be at the front door, probably shouting up at Neymar.

"Yes. Goodbye, asshole." Neymar steps away from Leo, smiling still.

"Later, bitch." Drifts up the stairs, along with the sound of the front door closing. Neymar shakes his head and flops down on the couch again, making grabby hands at Leo.

"Such a touching and sweet friendship." He mutters, kneeling down by the couch, catching Neymar's chin and kissing him softly.

"Oh yeah, the best. Blah, blah, blah." Neymar kisses him firmly, his hands tangling in Leo's hair. "How long you staying for?" He smiles, eyes bright and happy.

"My flight's in like three hours." Leo mutters, kissing along his jaw, nipping at his skin.

"Seriously? There was no point in you coming all this way, Leo." Neymar tilts his head back, baring his throat, moaning low in his throat as Leo nips and kisses down it. It's possibly true that there wasn't much point in coming to see Neymar, but Leo can't say he's regretted this trip.

"So I'm your boyfriend, huh?" Leo mutters, nipping at the hollow at the base of Neymar's neck, and wishing he'd not said a word, this might possibly be the stupidest question in the world.

"Uh..." Neymar moans softly and, Leo smirks against his skin, it seems Neymar's put no more thought into defining their thing than Leo has, or more likely he has but hasn't come up with any answers he's happy with, so isn't going to share his thoughts, again rather like Leo himself.

"Eloquent." Leo murmurs against Neymar's throat, nipping at his skin once more.

"You object?" Neymar gasps, pushing at Leo slightly, forcing him to meet Neymar's eyes, heavy with a familiarly unreadable expression. Leo's not certain he objects so much as he wishes there was a less juvenile word for it. Boyfriend makes him feel like a teenage girl, and he's sick of feeling like a teenager when it comes to Neymar, sick of being so painfully on the back foot because of him, sick of never being able to plan, to plot, to map out the best-case scenario where Leo's on top, because of Neymar.

"Do you?" Leo doesn't really want to confirm or deny anything; he's not mapped out a plan of attack for confirming their status, and doesn't want to be the one yaying or neighing on this, because at the end of the day, it always was Leo who ended up half-naked in corridors when Neymar's mercurial nature took hold. Neymar shrugs and sits up, his expression closed and unhappy.

"Honestly?" He sighs, and pats the couch beside him. Leo takes the offer and sits down, fidgeting slightly, before giving in to the worms and pulling Neymar to him, tucking him under Leo's arm. "I got no idea, I've not thought about it." Leo almost wants to laugh at him, because he knows that's a lie, possibly the biggest lie he's ever heard Neymar tell. He's thought about their thing, he's thought about it a lot, has worried at it like a sore tooth, Leo can tell.

"I'm surprised." Leo tilts Neymar's face to him and trails a finger over Neymar's groomed slit eyebrow, down the line of his nose, put it on those full lips pushing it inside of his mouth fuck it with the finger for few seconds, the sight of those pink plump lips around the finger make his cock switch a little, looking at those cat like green eyes as Neymar licks the finger in his mouth is a bad decision because there's nothing he wants more than fucking that sinful mouth.

Neymar pulls away with a pop. "Why?" Neymar sounds genuinely surprised. Leo shrugs.

"Surprised to hear boyfriend from your mom." He smiles, leaning back from Neymar. He surprised for a lot of reasons, but the one he's offering isn't the main one, even if it is true. He is surprised to hear Dani saying what neither one of them seem willing to say to each other, because really, this is some kind of childish relationship where neither one of them knows exactly what they're doing or what they want, and so boyfriend probably is a good fit. Dani seems bound and determined to sort out their relationship. Neymar laughs, and snags the TV remote, intending to cut their conversation short.

"Well, we've established that Dani’s chatty. He doesn't think before he speaks." Neymar mutters and Leo takes the remote, tossing it on the table. The problem with Dani isn't that he doesn't think before he talks, it's entirely that he thinks too much, chooses words that have far too much influence over Neymar and his actions. Leo's beginning to see that now and he wonders if Dani likes flowers, he feels rather like he should be sending the other Brazil bred bastard regularly in his life some kind of gift.

"You gonna drive me to the airport?" Leo stands, he should get going really, if he wants to make it to airport with enough time to scowl and glare at security.

"Nah, take the L." Neymar stretches on the sofa, his shirt riding up, baring his stomach. It takes far too much willpower to resist him, but Leo manages, turning for the sprawled form to go gather up the few things he had time to scatter.

"I almost forgot." Leo was in the bathroom, stealing some of Neymar's shower gel, when his voice breaks the silence. "Take the bottle." Neymar is shaking his head at him, a smile on his lips, and Leo nods, setting the half-filled stolen hotel complimentary bottle on the shelf in place of Neymar's full-sized one.

"Thanks. You forgot?" It's more than a little ridiculous how much better he feels once he steps closer to Neymar and pulls him into his arms, his hands on his hips.

"Huh? Oh! I got you a present!" Neymar steps away from him and holds out a toothbrush still in its packaging. It's possibly the least interesting present Leo has ever received.

"Thank you?" Leo stares down at the non-descript toothbrush in his hands, he's got a perfectly good one already packed, and isn't sure why Neymar decided this was a good present in the first place.

"Open it." Neymar sounds overly gleeful about this toothbrush, overly excited over something incredibly unexciting, but Leo does as he's asked and opens the packaging. "Here." He points to the little glass by the sink, the little glass with Neymar's own brush in it. Leo shakes his head and puts his brush in the glass. As it clinks against the bottom of the glass, something dawns on Leo, this isn't about giving him a new toothbrush, this is about having Leo's toothbrush in Neymar's home. This is at once huge and tiny. He stares at the two brushes in the glass. It's just a toothbrush, though the worms, the vice, and the smile on Neymar's face say something completely different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I posted this today because of Neymar's birthday, I know this chapter got nothing to do with birthday, he just turned 27 and I can barely believe it, he looks like the same 22 years old young talent to me but he's just more wounded. I watched the videos of his birthday and he looked he wanted to have fun but he looked emotional in all videos, his speech was so heartbreaking. I never want to see him to cry like that, glad he has his family and friends by his side. Hope he gets well soon and returns stronger than ever.
> 
> if you enjoyed leave a comment/kudos, you don't know how much they mean to me.


	9. Osmium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo's never had a dog, so he's never had to care for one before, because dogs, like relationships, are hard work.

"Okay, what is it?" Gerard sounds unimpressed when Leo shuffles into the locker room.

"What?" Leo's certain he's done nothing to earn this mild ire so early in the day, all he's done is walk into a room, certainly not deserving of that unamused glare.

"This still about buying your woman a dog?" Gerard sits on the bench, patting the space beside him.

"He doesn't want a dog. Gave me a toothbrush though." Leo forces out a chuckle and starts fishing his gear from his bag.

"A toothbrush? Man, for a millionaire your woman gives shit presents." Gerard laughs, shaking his head. "Is it a cool toothbrush at least? Lemme see it." He holds his hand out and Leo shakes his head.

"It's at his place." Leo mutters, hoping Gerard will miss the importance of that, because it feels like its important, far more important than just a toothbrush should be, but it's Leo's toothbrush, in Neymar's toothbrush glass, in Neymar's bathroom, in Neymar's house, in Paris. A little bit of Leo mixed in with a whole lot of Neymar.

"What we talking about?" Leo is beginning to be convinced that Luis times his arrivals into conversations about Neymar to be when he can get maximum amusement with minimal serious business involved. 

"Leo's new toothbrush." Gerard grins and Leo stands scowling.

"Neymar bought me a toothbrush, and it's not fucking funny or interesting." Agitation, the need to be moving, an itch in the back of his head, Leo's expecting one of them, all three wouldn't be a surprise even, but there's nothing. He loves this familial little team. He's been feeling rather domesticated lately, and it's disconcerting. Luis looks at him, a brother stern set to Luis's shoulders as he sits stiffly on the bench.

"In his place?" He asks, snagging Leo's jersey and pulling him to sit down on the bench beside him. Leo nods, eyes narrowed, he's seen this side of Luis once or twice, aimed at other people, but never at him. "Hmm... It's a big step." Luis sighs, scrubbing at his face.

"It's a toothbrush, man. A fucking toothbrush." Gerard laughs and stands. "Gonna call my lady. I don't think you really need to worry till he starts buying you nose hair trimmers, kay?" He laughs and leaves the room; leaves Leo with Luis in full-on brother mode.

"It's more than a toothbrush." Luis says calmly. Leo fidgets beside him but says nothing. "For an evasive whore like him and an emotionally stunted asshole like you... It's practically a marriage proposal." Leo springs back to his feet.

"It's a toothbrush, man... Not fucking marriage." He starts pacing the room and Luis laughs.

"Hyperbole, sit down." Luis pats the bench beside him.

"Fucking hyperbole, where the fuck you learn words like that? Fucking meathead." Leo sits heavily, scrubbing at his face.

"I went to school." Luis laughs again, rooting through his bag, hunting for something or another. “Went to classes, learned me some fancy words... Fuck." Luis scowls down at the bag, he's forgotten something again, “what’s the exciting mystery will be what is it this time?

Leo tucks his feet up on the bench, his knees under his chin, he feels like a little kid sitting like this and that's not a good thing. Sitting like this, it's got no good memories attached to it if nothing else. The worms are writhing, feeling more like leviathans; the vice winched tight in his chest. "You think it's more, too?" Luis nods in response, some odd thoughtful look on his face.

"The dog thing... Tell it to me again." He says after a while.

"He said he had a dog as a kid, so he always knew. I got no fucking clue what the hell having a dog is supposed to tell him." Leo scowls, his cell vibrates in his pocket, nothing more than a text message.

"Second bit's new..." Luis mutters, Leo nods again, fishing his cell out of his pocket. It's a picture message showing a ridiculously dirty, but proud looking Neymar standing by the biggest of his sunflowers in a shiny new pot. The worms settle a bit at the sight of him, but the vice gets worse, somehow tighter. When he glances up from the screen Luis's looking at him with an expression he's only ever seen on the face one of the Brazil bred bastards he has to deal with regularly. "Sphinx bastard, that's what you call him right?" Luis asks, the failing science project expression never leaving his eyes. "It's not that hard, I don't think." Leo scoffs, tucking his phone back in his pocket. "What do you have to do with dogs?"

"Not kick them?" Leo laughs, standing. Luis looks at him unimpressed. "I don't know... Walk them, feed them, brush their hair, take them to the vets, pick up their shit...Dogs are fucking hard work, I've never had one..."

"Sphinx bastard, indeed." Luis laughs and starts getting ready for the training. Leo's never had a dog, so he's never had to care for one before, because dogs, like relationships, are hard work. The Brazil bred sphinx bastard might have a point.

There's procrastination and there's putting something off for a more opportune moment. Over the next few weeks, Leo isn't sure which it is he's engaging in. He visits Paris when he can, managing a few hours at a time with Neymar, though once he managed two whole days. Two whole days where he did basically nothing but video games and eat cheat food, two whole days where the only malady he could really complain of was feeling a bit fat, two whole days where he was entirely, comfortably domestic.

 

"You sure he won't mind?" Gerard sounds worried about crashing at Neymar's place for a night for old time sake.

"He might appreciate the moral support ‘cause of injury?" Luis sounds neither concerned nor interested in whether or not Neymar will mind. "Or a gas station, get him some flowers?" Leo snorts and points to the bunch of yellow flowers by his bag.

"Already have the flowers." He smirks at his teammates, and laughs at them. "What? You're always calling him a woman."

"You seriously bought him flowers?" Gerard picks them up, turning them round slowly, his eyes critical. "Not very pretty. I don't think my woman would approve."

"Mine either..." Luis shakes his head and hefts his bag. "So to your beloved's?" He smiles at Leo, and the vice in Leo's chest tightens. Beloved. That's what Dani had called Neymar in the airport. Beloved isn't Leo's word for Neymar, Leo doesn't have a word for him, and is more than certain Neymar hasn't settled on one to give Leo. Avoidance, misdirection and sphinx bastard riddles are all he has from Neymar. He runs his hand over his face, and grabs his bag. He's thinking too much, reading too much into things, words, they don't mean as much as his various minor maladies are telling him.

U home? - sent

It felt necessary to ask, though Leo honestly feels stupid sending the message once it's gone. If Neymar's home, he'll let them in, if he's not he won't, or maybe if the mood takes him, even if he is home, he won't let them in anyway. 

Yes. Bring me cheat food... I'm sad. - Kitten 3.14

"Uh-oh." It's then that Leo notices that Gerard is reading the message over his shoulder. "How close is the closest store to Kitten place?" He laughs, and Leo scowls, stuffing his cell in his pocket. He'd not wanted anyone to catch sight of how he has Neymar's name stored in his phone, it's a private little joke between Leo and himself. He likes Kitten as a pet name for Neymar, it makes him think of fucking slow and gentle in Barcelona, makes him think of Neymar's catlike eyes soft and hazy gazing up at him, the look in them replacing the worms with something warm and soothing. It's a pet name that makes Leo feel domesticated, and strangely, it doesn't terrify him all that much.

"Kitten?" Luis laughs along with Gerard, and the urge to kick them out of the cab is strong.

"Assholes." Leo mutters, his teammates laughing even harder.

"It's cute though." Gerard smiles at him. "Not that long ago, you were moping round like a teenager... Now you got cute little pet names for him."

"Very cute." Luis agrees, reaching around Gerard to pat Leo on the head. "Do we need to sit him down and have the talk?"

"I think it's probably a little late for that talk." Gerard laughs again, and Leo wishes that the cabby would hurry the hell up. He likes these two, they're his friends, his little familial unit, but murder is looking more and more appealing.

"You can't mean our man here has been nibbling Neymar's crust?" Luis sounds scandalized, his hands clasped over his chest.

"Licked the filling too." Leo laughs, if you can't beat'em, join'em.

Eventually, they stand on the doorstep of Neymar's place, a pizza in Luis's arms.

"Open the door, Neymar. I come bearing gifts." Neymar doesn't reply over the intercom, instead, there's a click and the door opens. "Gentlemen." Leo pushes the door open, letting his teammates in and kicking his shoes off, starting up the stairs. "Ney?" Leo leaves Luis and Gerard, going in search of Neymar, finding him sprawled over the couch, staring apathetically at the TV.

"Hey." He sounds despondent, his eyes not leaving the screen. "You bring me my sad food?" He looks over this time, a frown forming on his lips. "You distinctly lack gifts." Leo laughs and tosses Neymar his flowers. "Well, edible gifts." Neymar laughs and stands, wandering to the kitchen with his cruches to put the flowers in water.

"You've got spare rooms right?" Leo steps up to Neymar, plastering himself against his back. "You don't min-"

"Both of them?" Neymar's flaps his hand in Leo's face, waving off the soft little kisses Leo was laying on the side of his neck. "I've got room." He sounds mildly resigned but not overly put out, as though he'd somehow been expecting this. "No talking about football, I don't wanna hear it." He turns in Leo's arms, kisses him once, and leaves the kitchen.

They spend the night talking anything but football, Barca and the thing between Leo and Neymar. Luis and Gerard carefully playing gracious guests, Neymar playing benevolent host and Leo enjoying it far more than he thought he would. Sitting with his teammates, his friends, the men who basically brothers to him, laughing, joking, eating, it's comfortable, made better by the fact that Neymar's tucked up at his side and seemingly enjoying himself. Eventually the others file off to bed, Neymar showing them to one of the numerable rooms that Leo hasn't seen in this place. It occurs to him that he possibly should take a grand tour of Neymar's home, should learn where each little door opens up to, but not right now, because right now, Neymar is settling down beside him, shoving Leo over to lie on the couch, resting his head on Leo's stomach and picking some documentary on something or another to stare at whilst Leo strokes his hair and feels domestic.

Leo chuckles softly in Neymar's ear, then moving to nip kisses along his neck. "C'mon, bed." Neymar is tense in his arms, despite the relaxed tone in his voice, tense and unhappy. Leo wants to change that, wants Neymar pliant and content, his hands move further down his body, brushing over the front of Neymar's pants, cupping him and squeezing gently. "No." He hisses and stands. "Not with our friends in the house." He offers Leo his hand, hauling him up.

"We can be quiet, Ney." Leo takes the offered hand and pulls Neymar to him. "You can sing all soft and sweet for me." He murmurs, lips moving against the fabric of Neymar's shirt feeling the warmth of his skin through it.

"Bed." He sounds slightly like he's relenting, giving in to Leo's attempts at seduction. Leo stands, kisses his way up Neymar's throat to his lips. Their kiss is deep, tongues twining with each other, slow and fluid.

"So, bed?" Leo cups Neymar's face with one hand, the other round his waist, sneaking down the back of his pants. He nods, leaning in for another kiss, still slow and thorough.

"Bed, for sleeping and sleeping only." Neymar steps away from Leo and leaves the room. Neymar has a point, sleeping is probably a better idea.

He tries hard not to focus on the toothbrush too much as he uses it. It's a harmless piece of necessity. Words don't mean anything, gestures don't either, not really, combined perhaps they have more impact, but separately they're just things that have been said or done, the worms be damned.

Neymar's already curled up asleep by the time Leo drags himself from the bathroom. He slips under the covers and lies on his back staring at the ceiling, listening to Neymar breathe. There are things he'd like to dwell on, strategies he'd like to formulate, but he's tired, so Leo turns to lie on his side, wriggling one arm under Neymar to draw him back against Leo's chest.

"Better not get spooked, sphinx bastard." He mumbles into Neymar's hair. Neymar makes a vague noise in his sleep, squirming a little before settling. Leo kisses the back of his head, eyes closing, arms tightening slightly around Neymar's waist. "G'night Ney."

 

"Leo! Leo! Wake up!" Leo grumbles in his sleep, willing the infuriating poking to his cheek gone. Neymar is usually much kinder in waking him up, all gentle smiles and cups of coffee, but the weight resting on top of him is certainly Neymar, so this isn't him trying to wake Leo up.

"Quiet, you'll wake him up." Leo hisses, cracking one eye open to glare at Gerard.

"Sorry, sorry but the car's here. We gotta go." He sounds apologetic, staring at the way Neymar is laying, his head on Leo's chest, the blankets pulled up over it, hair poking out from under them. The urge to pull the covers over Neymar more, to hide him, protect him somehow from being stared at is as strong as it is stupid, and Leo ignores it stubbornly.

"Gimme five, okay?" Leo whispers to Gerard, who nods and hovers at the door for a few seconds, his expression odd, something Leo's never seen on his face before.

"Well, at least I know my asleep impression is better than yours." People should not sound so smug this early in the morning, Leo thinks, pushing the covers back from Neymar's face, meeting his sleepy but amused gaze. "Uff, early mornings, I miss you not." He groans, and moves to lie beside Leo. "So five minutes isn't enough for the bye-bye blowjob I wanted to give you, but..." He pecks Leo on the nose and leans over him, rooting in the drawer on the nightstand, a quiet litany of expletives accompanying his search. "Ah-ha!" He flops back over Leo and holds up a key. "Ta-da!" He drops the key on Leo's chest. The way the vice clenches, the damn thing may as well be made of Nibblonian shit.

"This..." Leo clears his throat and gets out of bed, pulling his clothes on quickly. "This a key to your house?" Even in his jeans pocket it feels like it weighs an impossible amount, like it's made of osmium.

"Uh-huh... Look..." Leo turns and looks at Neymar, sitting up on the bed, his head bowed, hands wringing in the fabric of his comforter, nervous, he looks so painfully nervous.

"Thanks." Leo tilts his chin up and kisses him softly, his hands coming up to tangle in Leo's hair, trying to pull him back down to the bed.

"Leo!" Luis, unlike Gerard, has no concerns for waking Neymar up. "Say goodbye to your woman and get down here!" Neymar breaks the kiss sharply, his eyes hard.

"Woman?" He snaps. "What the fuck have you been telling them?" Leo laughs softly and kisses Neymar's forehead.

"Not a thing. I'll be back when I can, Ney." Leo leaves Neymar with a kiss, pausing at the door to look at him once more before leaving. "I'll text you, okay?" Neymar nods, then flops back on the bed.

"Leo!" Luis shouts again, sounding more annoyed. Leo shakes his head and walks back up to the bed. Neymar blinks up at him, eyes wide and confused. Leo grabs the front of the shirt he slept in and hauls him up for a fierce, demanding kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, comments, concerns and confabulation are always appreciated.
> 
> AND. if you like my writing style and you ship Coutinho/Neymar, I will be very happy if you give a chance to 'Anchor' my other fanfiction and read it, I bet you will enjoy it. It's full of angst, pain and love.


	10. Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Dani, he'll get scared again." Neymar's voice is so soft that Leo almost doesn't hear him, so colored with something terrifyingly small that the ball of rage vanishes in an instant, in its place is the need to bundle Neymar up, the need to keep him safe. "He'll run again and... I can't..." It sounds like Neymar's voice has cracked, there's the sound of someone moving, and a tiny, minute sob.

I should be over later this week, will you be there? - sent

p3rh3ps – Kitten 3.14

 

The Colombian woman in the flower store seemed amused to see Leo again, had joked about him being her best repeat customer in a long time, had filled out his card without asking, and handed him his over-priced bunch of yellow flowers with a smile. Leo had managed to be cordial, but honestly, he was feeling anything but, he was tired, he was annoyed, and all he wanted to do was curl up by Neymar. There are some things he knew to expect, some things that he knew were inescapable, but he didn't want to know them, had wanted to live in denial a little longer. He pushes everything from his mind, opening Neymar's door with the key gifted to him the last time they'd seen each other. Inside he can't help but note the indications that Neymar isn't alone. The shoes and coat of his best friend are present. He sighs and scrubs at his face. Two Brazil bred bastards in one place, at the same time, it seems distinctly unfair. 

"Look, all I'm saying, Ney, is you're gonna have to tell him sooner or later." Leo stands behind the closed living room door and listens, tries to understand Portuguese, feeling impossibly unwell.

"I know, I know, but..." Neymar sighs heavily; Leo can feel the weight of it from through the door.

"But? You've been bullshit butting forever and a fucking day. Tell him or I will." Dani sounds annoyed, angry even, and the urge to run away from overhearing this conversation comes over Leo, he's pretty sure that there's nothing he wants to hear going on in that room.

"Dani." There's a long break of silence, no sounds coming from the other side of the door and Leo's imagination conjures up images, horrid images of what Dani wants Neymar to tell him, images of them entangled with each other, of hands caressing Neymar that had no business being there, hands that aren't Leo's.

"Ney, you’re not a kid." Dani seems to have changed tactics, his voice pitched more kindly. "Talk to him for a change, hmm?" Leo can feel anger building in his mind, a hard little ball of glowing rage.

"Dani, he'll get scared again." Neymar's voice is so soft that Leo almost doesn't hear him, so colored with something terrifyingly small that the ball of rage vanishes in an instant, in its place is the need to bundle Neymar up, the need to keep him safe. "He'll run again and... I can't..." It sounds like Neymar's voice has cracked, there's the sound of someone moving, and a tiny, minute sob.

"Hey... Hey... It's okay... Fuck... Shh... It's okay." Dani's voice is gentle, like a mother's, soft and kind. "I won't leave you, you know that. I'll be right here, no matter what." Leo feels more than a little guilty for assuming that there was more going on between them, there's obviously more than friendship there, but it's not what Leo assumed.

"Fuck, I don't even know... So fucking stupid." Neymar sounds terrible, stuffy, definitely, like he's shed tears. "Being a girl."

"Well yeah..." Dani laughs, then exclaims in pain.

"Fuck you!" Neymar squawks indignantly.

"No fucking way... " Dani laughs and there's the dull thud of a half-hearted slap. "You're the worst best friend ever, you know that, Ney." Dani snaps. The noise of bodies hitting the floor, then laughter, loud raucous childish laughter.

"Best friend in the World, thank you very much." Neymar has clearly recovered from his episode. "Dani."

"What, Ney?" Dani sounds amused, but the snort Neymar makes is anything but, Leo can see the look of irritation he'd be wearing so clearly in his mind.

"Serious, for one second, it's all I ask." And he does sound so very serious, more serious than Leo's ever heard him.

"Yeah right." Even Dani's comment, though possibly made in jest, sounds serious.

"I love you... And thanks." This isn't something Leo should be listening to; he can tell just from the tone, this is something private, something special between Neymar and Dani.

"Hmm, it's nothing, Ney... What best friends do right? What? Oh, you sappy bitch, you know I love you, man. C'mere." Leo rests his forehead against door with a sigh. He shouldn't have heard a single word of this, and he feels impossibly guilty for it, so guilty it cancels out every other malady he's used to suffering. "Tell him though, Ney. I mean it when I say I will if you don't." Something's bothering Neymar, something he doesn't want Leo to know about because he's scared Leo'll leave him, something Dani's convinced Leo's able to handle, and that somehow makes this situation worse. Dani is someone Neymar trusts unwaveringly, and Dani trusts Leo to not fuck off and leave Neymar when he needs him, which in turn means that Neymar will trust the same, and honestly, Leo can't say he's got a great track record of not freaking out and running. He drafts some delivery company to take Neymar's flowers to him, the card changed for a new one, this one apologizing but with the split, he's busier, doesn't have time to visit Paris, but when he does he'll let Neymar know. He gets a brief message back, a quick thank you texted to his phone, and the worst case of his maladies ever.

 

"Hmm, we seem to bump into each other in the oddest places, Leo." Leo glances at the man who just joined him in leaning against the back wall of his motel for the night. He takes another draw on his cigarette and turns away from Dani, grateful that it's too dark to see the expression on his face.

"I don't get it." Leo mutters, staring out into the darkness, wondering if the brief brightening of end of his smoke is enough for Dani to see him by.

"Get what?" Dani sighs, shifting, making himself more comfortable.

"You told me if I didn't love him to leave him alone." Leo mutters flicking ash from his cigarette, and longing to be away from this situation.

"He's not seen you in weeks. Flowers, phone calls, texts... They're not quite the same." It seems Dani has his whole spiel planned out and no matter how unwillingly, Leo's going to be his audience.

"I don't know, I don't know, okay? I got no fucking clue what to do with this... This thing we got going on! And what are you anyways? His own fucking personal cupid? How much does he pay you? It's gotta be a lot, cause there ain't no way a guy like you's gonna go stalking me round the fucking Europe having heart to fucking hearts by trashcans and piss puddles without a fucking substantial salary!" Leo screams, his cigarette tossed aside in favor ranting and pacing.

"You done?" Dani sounds so mild, so utterly unimpressed, but Leo supposes half a lifetime of dealing with Neymar would leave you unimpressed in the face of most people's wrath. He snorts disdainfully and lights another cigarette, the brief flare of flame from the lighter showing Dani's face. He looks like he's just played a match, tired, worn out, like he needs to eat, shower and sleep.

"No... I don't want to be." Leo says quietly, closing his eyes, taking a deep draw, and trying to blow the smoke back out in rings.

"He fucking should pay me, the cheap bitch that he is." Dani chuckles softly and shifts again. Leo snorts at the comment but doesn't say anything, just smokes in silence. "There's two types of smokers that I deal with regularly." Dani holds his hand out for a cigarette, and confused Leo hands him one. "People who hold it like this." He balances the cylinder between his pointer and middle fingers. "These people, they're usually middle-class, pretty well off, you know, had a decent start in life. The sort of people who stop before they get to the butt. If I was a smoker, I'd be one of these people." His laugh is tinged with self-deprecation, and Leo stares at cigarette, the light is poor, but the white of its paper makes it stand out. "Then there are people who hold it like this." He holds the cigarette between his thumb and forefinger, if it were lit; the burning end would be sheltered by the rest of his hand. "These people... They're the fighters, the scrappers, the people who have scratched and clawed for everything they have. The people who are so afraid of being abandoned again that they'll push people away, let them go, anything to keep themselves safe." Dani offers the unlit cigarette back to Leo. "If he smoked, that's how Ney would hold it." He says firmly. Leo glances at his own cigarette, held between finger and thumb, turned towards his palm, sheltered from the greedy wind. "Leo... You know." Dani pushes off from the wall. "You know exactly how you feel, you know exactly how he feels, and I get that you're scared. He is too, believe me, I know how scared he is."

"Why doesn't he make the first move then? Why the fuck aren't you giving him this Yoda bullshit, huh?" Leo sneers, feeling like a dog backed into a corner.

"He's scared." Dani sighs and comes back over to lean by Leo. "It's easy to believe that if you don't do anything, nothing will change." He yawns. "Look, man, make of it what you will. I'm fucking tired. Just remember it's your balls on the line. Unlike Ney, you ain't got a Dani to back you up." He laughs and walks off, leaving Leo staring at the unlit cigarette in his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, let me know what you think. 
> 
> PSG won against Man United, I didn't expect them to win but it was a relieve, thanks to Mbappe. I really wanna write about Kylian/Ney, they're so cute together :(


	11. Mistrust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Course... He's my Dani." Neymar laughs and turns away, moving on to the next flower. "Don't you have someone you love?" The question throws Leo, makes the worms start roiling in his stomach once more. He doesn't answer, just sits on the low wall and watches Neymar, watches the way the fabric of his shirt moves as he tends to his flowers. "Leo?" He glances over his shoulder, and Leo shrugs.

Dani's cigarette has moved home to several different packs now. He can't bring himself to smoke it, not when he needs to think about what means. Brazil bred bastard logic is a damn tricky thing, but at this stage, Leo thinks he's getting used to it, or at least he's getting better at interpreting it. He's not entirely sure he does know how Neymar feels, but there's enough hints, enough clues to give an indication if nothing else. Love, he is more than likely in love with Leo, and Dani seems convinced that Leo is in love with Neymar, and Leo, well he's not entirely certain. How can you decide if you are or aren't in love with somebody? It's not something Leo's had much experience with, there's nobody in his romantic past that's had this effect on him certainly, but does that make it love? He might sign every little card with each bunch of those yellow flowers with potentially with love but he's not certain that this is a potential he has the capacity to realize. This current situation though, it can't keep going on like this, he can't keep fobbing Neymar off with excuses of being busy, not only for Neymar's sake, but for Leo's own. Every day he spends without seeing him, every night he sleeps without holding him, the maladies get worse, get to the point where eating seems like a terrible idea because the worms will rebel, working out is atrocious because the vice in his chest clamps tight and he can't get enough air. He has to at least go to Neymar, has to at least see him, if only so he feels better. The next time he can scrape more than a day off, he has to go to Paris; it's the only option really.

Neymar's house is pitch black when Leo arrives. The worms in his stomach are rebelling at every step up the stairs and the vice is winched so tight he's almost convinced that he's having a heart attack. The living room is deserted, no sign of Neymar in the kitchen or on the balcony, though Leo did notice that his flowers are getting pretty big, Dorothy's still definitely the largest of the four. With the majority of the place searched, he begins to worry that Neymar isn't home, that he's out somewhere else. The only place left really is the bedroom. He pushes the door open quietly and peeks inside, relief overcoming him when he spots Neymar curled up in bed. He almost sneaks in, and perches on the edge of the bed, his maladies settling, feeling better than he has in a long time. Neymar makes a little snuffling sound.

"Shh, Ney, it's just me..." Leo keeps his voice quiet, but still it seems like Neymar is going to wake up, his eyelids fluttering slightly.

"Leo?" He croaks softly, eyes opening, a frown on his lips. "Didn't tell me you were coming home." He mumbles, moving over the bed and flipping the covers down. Home. It might have been a slip of the tongue but the word feels like it should be causing Leo to freak out, yet it doesn't, and that alone should be making him freak out. Despite this though, he feels calm, far calmer than he has in all the time he's been away from Neymar.

"Yeah, I'm back." He leans over and kisses Neymar's forehead, moving off the bed and stripping to his underwear, taking the spot Neymar vacated for him. "C'mere." He pulls Neymar close, wrapping his arms around him tightly. "You been up to anything interesting?" The question falls on deaf ears, as soon as he'd settled in Leo's arms, Neymar had fallen straight back to sleep. "G'night Ney." Leo closes his eyes and for the first time in weeks falls asleep easily.

The scent of coffee and a lack of Neymar in his arms are what wake Leo up. He indulges his desire to lounge in bed for a few seconds, the scent of Neymar all around him, swaddled as he is in Neymar's blankets. It's been far too long since he was able to smell Neymar; it was far too long since he'd held him. In short, he'd missed Neymar. Last night taught him that, and the way he feels this morning relaxed and comfortable merely reinforces the fact that he can't really do without Neymar for any real length of time. Not anymore at least, it's too stressful. He pulls on his clothes from yesterday and goes in search of Neymar again, hopeful he'll be found quicker than last night.

The coffee scent is coming from the kitchen, and Leo snags a cup, leaning against a counter, listening to the strains of music drifting to him from, by the sound of it, the balcony. Out there is Neymar, fussing with his plants, singing to them in a curiously soft tone when compared to the music playing. He seems to be in a good mood, focused on his work, which appears to be plucking dead leaves from the stalks of his girls.

"You sing to your plants?" Leo leans against the door frame and watches as Neymar spins round to face him, something shocked but happy on his face.

"I, uh... It's good for them." There's actually a tiny blush riding high on his cheeks as he turns back to his plants, and Leo can't resist the urge to tease him for it.

"Aww, no need to be embarrassed, Ney, it's cute." Setting his empty coffee cup down, Leo steps out on to the balcony, stands as close to Neymar as he can without touching him.

"Not embarrassed." He mutters, his back still turned, the little pile of dead leaves at his feet slowly growing.

"No? Then why you all red, baby?" Leo's arms loop around Neymar's waist, holding him tightly. Neymar growls low in his throat, and Leo laughs. "What?"

"Don't fucking start, it's not even twelve yet, and you just got here... I don't wanna have to kick you out already." Neymar leans against him a little, relaxing more the longer Leo holds him.

"You're not gonna kick me out." Leo presses a kiss to the side of his head. "Your mom would have a fit." He laughs, and Neymar groans.

"I'm sorry." His head flopped back against Leo's shoulder; eyes closed, an odd little twist to his lips.

"For what?" The temptation presented by Neymar throat is too much and Leo doesn't even bother trying to resist trailing kisses along it.

"Dr. Dani Alves." Neymar laughs softly, stepping out of Leo's arms. "He's been harassing me, so I imagine he's been harassing you."

"By some trashcans... He's a persistent fucker, your mom." Leo fidgets slightly and glances at the plant in front of him. "You want some help?" Neymar shakes his head, waving Leo away, his attention focused on the plants.

"Persistent is the nice word for him... I swear, he's lucky. If I didn't love him, I'd gut him." Neymar mutters, dropping more leaves on his little pile.

"You love him?" Leo hopes he doesn't sound as bitingly jealous as he feels, the odd look Neymar shoots him makes him think that he might though.

"Course... He's my Dani." Neymar laughs and turns away, moving on to the next flower. "Don't you have someone you love?" The question throws Leo, makes the worms start roiling in his stomach once more. He doesn't answer, just sits on the low wall and watches Neymar, watches the way the fabric of his shirt moves as he tends to his flowers. "Leo?" He glances over his shoulder, and Leo shrugs.

"Sure, I guess..." He mumbles, feeling on the spot and not happy with that in least. Something in Neymar's eyes hardens, and he turns back to the flowers. "I... Uh... I'm gonna go for a run." Leo mutters, the air out on the balcony feels sharp. He gets the feeling Neymar would much rather be alone right now. "You wan-"

"The park's nice. Quiet this time of morning." Neymar doesn't turn to look at him, keeps working on his plants, dismissing Leo, rather like in the beginning of their ill-defined mutually beneficial thing when they'd finished fucking and Neymar would make it clear that it was time for Leo to leave.

"I'll be back in a bit." Leo shuffles back inside and feels decidedly sick, the coffee in his stomach not happy sharing space with the worms.

He had intended to actually go for a run, really he had, but what happens instead is that he potters aimlessly around Paris, city of love, wandering the streets and feeling unwell. If he's recognized no one says anything, and he's grateful for that. He's not sure he could pull off a pleasant fan encounter at this stage. He's been out so long that it's almost a surprise when Neymar texts him.

I'm going out to eat. - Kitten3.14

No invitation to come with him, just informing Leo that he's going out. It seems pointless to send back okay but he does, a tiny part of him hoping for a message with when and where to meet to come in response, but it doesn't and Leo can't say he's overly surprised at that.

Will you actually be back? - Kitten 3.14

The text message makes the vice clench so tight Leo feels like he's dying. He's not sure what he's doing in a bar, drinking for no real reason, drinking on his own, drinking to get drunk, and to stop his maladies, only it's not helping in the least, if anything he feels worse than ever.

On my way... Shouldn't be long, got distracted. - sent

He flags down a cab, sitting in the backseat, concentrating on not throwing up. He's drunk but not so drunk that he should be sick, so this feeling can be attributed to the maladies. The journey is painful, by the time he's kicking his shoes off and locking the door, all he really wants is to find Neymar and hold him, wrap him up in his arms and hold him tight, because there's something not right between them, something isn't how it should be. He flicks open the cigarette packet once more, seeing the one cylinder in there that had cradled between Dani's fingers. Scared, they're both scared and they both deal with being scared in stupid ways. Leo by running and Neymar by letting what's scaring him go, running in a different but just as obvious way.

 

"There's coffee in the pot." Neymar's voice drifts down the stairs to him, he sounds closed off, emotionless. Leo sighs and stashes his cigarette packet back in his pocket, slipping his coat off and heading up the stairs. Neymar's in the living room, curled up under a blanket watching something that looks like utterly brainless shit, but Leo isn't in the shape to object. He pours himself some coffee and tries to work out how to make this better, tries to work out exactly what's wrong in the first place, deciding the sphinx bastard on the couch needs to come with an instruction manual or something.

"You have fun?" Leo asks as he sits down by Neymar, sipping at his coffee, focusing on the TV and not Neymar.

"Did you?" He snaps back, his posture tense. "You smell like you did." He snorts dismissively, changing the channel, flicking rapidly through them. The rapidly changing sights and sounds making the worms kick into overdrive.

"Urgh... I'm gonna shower." Leo mutters standing and leaving Neymar to his rapid-fire channel surfing, not getting any response to his leaving the room.

The water running down his back feels good, it feels comforting. He stands there, letting the water wash the suds from him, trying to work out how to placate Neymar, how to make this up to him, when there's a slight draft.

"You out whoring? Huh, Leo?" Neymar is plastered against his back, hands groping his chest, down to roughly stroke his cock, making him hard incredibly quickly. "You getting sick of me?" Neymar's voice is all barely controlled anger and more than a hint of insecurity. A strange cross between a laugh and a groan leaves Leo. Sick of Neymar, at this stage, Leo's beginning to think that'll never happen, and is beginning to reconcile himself with that fact. There's a chance that he might have finally begun to understand the point the bastard have been making all along.

He got stuck in a relationship instead!

A line from that text message Dani let him read in an airport cafe so long ago. This is a relationship, he's in a real relationship and he's beginning to get used to that.

"You miss the good old days when it was just fucking, huh?" Neymar turns him round, pushes his back against the wet tiles, and sinks to his knees, sucking Leo down quickly, bobbing his head, dragging Leo closer and closer to coming. The tightness of his throat, the bristling annoyance coming from him, it reminds Leo so much of times in hotel rooms up and down the continent. He stares down at Neymar, watching the water run over his features, plastering his hair to his skull, the crinkle of concentration between his eyebrows, the way his dark lashes fan over his cheeks. The bitch is beautiful, and Leo can't begin to work out how he could be so worried about Leo leaving him, getting bored of him, there's very little chance of that happening.

"Stop, Neymar... Stop." It takes an impressive amount of self-restraint to pull Neymar from his cock. Neymar glares up at him, eyes burning in anger.

"What you already sho-"

"Stop. C'mere." Leo pulls him up, and kisses him, aiming for soft and gentle, but getting aggressively demanding in its place. It seems tonight, Neymar is determined to make this more like one of their past encounters, and the way he's moving against Leo, the way his hands are demandingly harsh are inspiring Leo to agree and concede to those demands. He turns them round, forces Neymar's back against the wall, nipping at his throat harshly, earning a sharp hiss for his actions. "You want it like this, baby? You want me to fuck you?" His lips moving over Neymar's wet skin. "Tear up that pretty little ass with this cock?" Neymar seems to shiver in his arms and Leo pulls back to look at him. "You want me to fuck you, baby? Tell me that's what you want." Neymar scowls at him and turns his back, his ass almost presented to Leo.

"If you're gonna fuck me get on with it." He still sounds so angry, and Leo closes his eyes, he can imagine the reasons for this rage, almost thinks Neymar is justified in feeling it. Leo brushes his finger down Neymar's crack and presses against his hole, is surprised to find him already stretched and lubed.

"You been playing with this hungry little hole, baby? You been thinking bout me?" Leo chuckles in his ear thrust his tongue in his sensitive ear and thrusts his cock forward firmly, his cock sliding between Neymar's cheeks, the alcohol in his veins clouding his precision.

"Fucking useless drunk." Neymar sneers, and the vice clenches at that, but he can't dwell on the thought, not when Neymar's grasped his cock and held it still whilst he fucks himself on it. "Can you manage to finish the job?" Still brimming with anger and fury. Leo nods meekly, his eyes drifting closed at the pleasure of being inside Neymar.

"Yeah, baby... I'm..." He can't bring himself to finish the sentence, doesn't care about it enough to even try. He fucks Neymar as hard and fast, the way he seems to want it, nipping and sucking over the back of his shoulders and neck, reveling in the gasps and moans he makes.

"Harder." He groans, his head flopping back to rest on Leo's shoulder. "Fuck me like you mean it." Leo chuckles low in his throat, and rests his arm over Neymar's shoulders, pressing him up against the wall.

"You want it rough before you'll sing for me, hmm, my little sexy nightingale?" He bites at the side of Neymar's neck, earning a loud moan. "Sing for me then." He mutters and fucks Neymar harder, fucks him like this was one of those nights where he'd be worried about being spotted in a corridor sneaking back to his room, or seen in a parking lot skulking out of bus, and Neymar sings for him, his gasping moans loud and frantic. "Come, Neymar, make yourself come." Leo hisses in his ear, and he can feel the moment Neymar takes his cock in hand and starts jerking off, his shoulder moving beneath Leo's arm.

"Fuck." He comes quietly, and Leo stills as he trembles through his orgasm, then starts fucking him again, pulling out to come over his ass, feeling like it's marking Neymar as his in some childish way. Leo stands staring at Neymar's back, the rivulets of water running down it, washing his cum away, and thinks that this might have been a bad idea. No matter how good it was, because it was good, sex with Neymar is always good, it was still likely a bad idea. Once he's recovered, Neymar gets out of the shower with an off-hand good night, and Leo feels horribly sick.

The morning is awkward, painfully awkward. Leo woke groggy and feeling ill on Neymar's couch, the blanket tossed over him, and Neymar sitting on the coffee table watching him, eyes distant and concerned.

"I'm sorry." Is all he says before leaving Leo alone. Sorry wasn't what Leo wanted to hear, not really. Sex isn't something he should be apologizing for, especially good sex, but apparently, Neymar feels like it's something that shouldn't have happened. He finds Neymar tending to his flowers once more, watering them in silence, an oppressive air about him.

"Morning, Ney." Leo walks up behind him and holds him close, kissing the side of his head, wanting whatever was wrong last night to have been forgotten. It's a new day, and his last before he has to fly to Spain. He doesn't want to leave things more fractured and confusing than they were when he arrived.

"Leo." Neymar sounds pained, apologetic still. Leo sighs, and squeezes him tightly. There's one solution to this, one way to make it right, but the thought of it scares him.

"We need to talk..." Leo trails off and presses another kiss to the side of Neymar's head, feels him tense up, hears him take a deep breath in through his nose, exhaling it out slowly.

"I've some stuff I need to do today." He says eventually, still so tense in Leo's arms. "I'll be gone for a while. Uh... Make yourself at home, I guess." He pulls away from Leo, leaves the balcony, the building, all without looking back once.

That afternoon Leo's sitting out in the sun on Neymar's balcony, waiting for him to come back from his mysterious stuff based errand, judging by the swearing and banging when he gets back it was at least partially grocery shopping.

"You buy me something some special for my going away dinner, Ney?" Leo smiles over at Neymar when he appears at the door. It seems his time away has cooled his temper, or his resolve, something has changed with him, he's at least looking at Leo now.

"Yeah, I did actually... It's called food... I think you'll like it." He smirks back and starts fidgeting, his hands fisting his sleeves, as he retreats into the living room.

"What is it?" Leo trails along behind him, catching his shoulder and turning him around. Neymar stares at him, all eyes and concern.

"So... Uh... You wanted to talk right? So let's talk, I mean now's as good a time as a-" Leo cuts Neymar off with a soft kiss, if the nervous rambling wasn't a little much, the hand wringing and plaintive expression definitely were.

"We do need to talk, Ney... I... There's something I wanna tell you." Leo has the rather grim feeling that he's wearing an equally pensive face, but as he sat out there on the balcony, he came to the conclusion that they have to be honest with each other. He needs to leave Paris knowing exactly how the sphinx bastard feels. Neymar steps away from him, folding his arms over his chest, a hard little look in his eyes.

"What?" His tone as hard as the expression in his eyes. Leo shakes his head and sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face, before stepping closer to Neymar, crowding him up against the wall behind him.

"Stop it." Leo keeps his tone light; trying to work out what would snap him out of this. Dani's point with the cigarette lodged in his mind. They're similar. They're jaded and cynical, all jagged edges and mistrust. What would work on Leo should, in theory, work on Neymar. "It's something you need hear-"

"But nothing I want to?" Neymar snaps, slipping from where Leo has him pinned. "If you're done here, go. I won't stop you." He makes a move to leave the room, and Leo grabs his wrist.

"Stop... Just stop, okay." Neymar freezes in Leo's hold, waiting, tense, mistrusting, exactly how Leo would be in his place. "I... I'm not done here." Leo smiles slightly.

"Good, neither am I." Though, not brave enough to come round it yet, but Leo supposes that's okay, he's not really sure he's brave enough to come round his own corner either.

"Good... I... Neymar...”

"What?" Neymar turns to look at him.

"I... You know this was easier in my head." Leo laughs and pulls Neymar to him, kissing him softly.

"You love me?" He all but whispers in Leo's ear when they part. Leo nods, a tight little gesture, and Neymar pulls away from him, some gloriously bright smile on his face."You love me? Ha, good... Good." He grins and Leo shakes his head at him.

"You love me back though." Leo smirks as he tenses up again, awkward stupid creature he is, like Dani said, Leo knows how he feels, and he certainly knows how Neymar feels, there's no need to be surprised or on guard. They're the same, Leo knows this is scary, and it is, but they need to be brave together, because really that's what all of Dani's interfering has been about. He knows Neymar inside out and back to front, which give him depressingly accurate insights into Leo, because for all he and Neymar are different, they're cut from the same cloth, and that bastard knows how to sew far too well.

"I... Yes." Neymar says firmly, eyes narrowed. "I love you." Admissions of love should not be given like an invitation to a fight, yet that's how Neymar issued it, all bristling and tense, expecting to be shot down or worse.

"Okay... Okay... So... You love me... And I... I love you. Now what?" Saying it, finally admitting it out loud feels incredibly good. The smile that spreads over Neymar's face is infectious. Leo can feel a matching once stretching his own lips.

"Now... I guess I should feed you." Neymar shrugs and wanders off to the kitchen, that happy little smile on his face. Leo shakes his head and laughs. They finally told each other how they feel, finally have their emotions out in the open, and the World didn't end. In fact, Neymar's acting like nothing's changed, and perhaps for him it hasn't overly, even if the smile on his face, and the light in his eyes says differently, but Leo won't call his sphinx bastard on that, not when he is Leo's sphinx bastard. 

Finally! Though, I did watch all those documentaries on castration for nothing... Damn. - Ney's Mom

Somehow, it's unsurprising that Neymar has already told Dani. The removal of the threat of castration is a relief, if nothing else, it feels good, and in honesty, Leo feels good in general. Neymar might be acting like nothing's changed for him, but for Leo, for the first time in a long time he feels absolutely fine, no worms, no vices, no itches, no twitches, just warm, content, domestic and most importantly, in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you watch Neymar's recent interview? He talked about Leo and how much he means to him, he was so emotional (like always?) 
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter.


	12. Bruises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT: This chapter is a flashback to when Neymar was still in Barcelona.

Leo sat on a stool, staring at the wall of optics, trying very hard not to listen to his teammates complaining about how they missed their women. He's never really had that attachment to another person, never felt the need to have his happiness intrinsically linked to that of another person. Other people make life complicated enough without having to worry that they might be sad, lonely, or sick. They keep attempting to draw Leo into conversation, something is bothering Gerard, he has that mother hen look in his eye and Luis keeps watching Leo carefully, wearing an expression that's distressingly similar to that mother hen look. There's a strange but welcome dynamic between the three of them, something Leo wasn't expecting but very grateful for. 

"Seriously, the fuck are you staring at me like that for?" Leo snaps, sick of the infuriatingly motherly stare of Gerard.

"Nothing... It's just... Ah, no... It's nothing." He rubs the back of his neck, sighing down at his glass of beer. "Just..."

"Thought you'd be elsewhere." Luis downs the last of his drink, and flags the bartender over, getting three more beers.

"Ain't got anywhere else to be." Leo shrugs, polishing off his own drink, and standing, intending to go for a smoke.

"Sure you don't." Gerard mutters, frowning down at his cell phone. His woman usually calls by now, and the fact that she hasn't has him maudlin and mopey. Luis's solution to this had been getting him drunk, but Luis hadn't taken into consideration that fact that his own woman hadn't called him either, so he was almost as bad. They really are the worst drinking partners when they're moping, and Leo isn't, but then again, he's not got anyone to mope over. He does kind of, sort of have someone, but they're really more of a fuck buddy than anything. Their relationship is ill defined and mutually beneficial; it's nothing more than incredibly good sex, and occasional conversations about work. Though the dynamic has been shifting lately. Yes, he. Pretty is pretty regardless of what's between their legs, and Leo's fuck buddy is pretty, even his cock is kind of pretty, and cocks are not pretty. Only he's seemed distant as of late, not his usual prickly ill-tempered self, all contrary and capricious, rather he's been distant all at once, as though there's something playing on his mind that he doesn't want to talk about. Though, in honesty, he rarely shares what's on his mind in the first place. Leo's fuck buddy is a master of using a thousand words to say nothing at all.

"I'm smoking... Make sure he doesn't drown." Leo's not really sure which of the two he's talking to and about, both of his friends look like they could easily sit there drowning their woman related sorrows all night. That's another unexpected bonus to the thing he has with his fuck buddy, there's none of this sorrows to be drown bullshit. It's in, fuck and out. No emotions, no attachments, no hassles. Just a simple, straightforward transactions of mutual physical pleasure.

Eventually, his friends' women call, eventually he's left alone and he migrates from beer to whiskey. Drinking shots, and smoking more than he should. Several pretty randoms flirt with him, but he's not in the mood for someone random and unknown. He's in the mood for his pretty little fuck buddy, and thankfully he has a key for his hotel room. Though, honestly, it's not like his fuck buddy sleeps all that much. It's one of the best things about fucking Neymar really, being safe in the knowledge that a three a.m. booty call is rarely out of the realms of possibility.

Leo opens the door, and frowns, the lights are out, the TV off, and Neymar's curled up on his side, looking miserable, eyes closed, hair almost slick with sweat. He might be asleep, he might not be, it's hard to tell. Leo slumps against the wall and manages to kick his shoes off, chuckling at the thought of a drunk Neymar. The purpose in coming to Neymar's room had been sex, a good, hard, drunk fuck, not something Neymar particularly enjoys.

"Wha?" Neymar groans and sits up, his damp hair sticking up in all directions, rubbing at one eye with a fist. Leo watches him with narrowed eyes, there is a slight chance that something in him would like to change too, but it's not getting the chance, what he and Neymar have is good exactly as it is.

"Go back to sleep." Leo mutters from his slumped position on the floor. "You look like shit."

"You come here t-" Neymar's interrupted by a yawn, what ever it was he was about to accuse Leo of coming to him for is lost to his own exhaustion. He flops back down on the bed, and pulls the covers back on the side he's not lying on. "No snoring, no drooling, no groping." He turns over and seems to fall back asleep. Leo smiles vaguely, stripping to his boxers, and lays on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come to him. Neymar's restless, his sleep filled with twisting and turning, throwing the covers off and pulling them back on. Leo lies on his side watching him, watching him struggle against his own dreams. In an attempt at soothing him into being still, Leo runs a single finger down the curve of Neymar's spine, it seems to settle him somewhat, and Leo grins slightly, feeling proud for no good reason he can come up with.

"Lie still, you bitch." Leo says softly, not willing to wake Neymar up. Over the course of the night, Leo's woken up many times, he's certain his shins have to be covered in an array of ugly bruises. In the end he resorted to trapping Neymar's restless body in his arms, squeezing him tightly for a good long while. It settled him down somewhat, had let Leo sleep without fear of assault for time.

"Oww." At least until Leo's woken by a hard smack to the head. His vision still slightly bleary from going so rapidly from asleep to awake. "The fuck was that for?" Neymar is standing by the bed, his hair in disarray, the bags under his eyes bigger than usual. He points to his thigh, a scowl on his lips. Blossoming on his skin is a bruise, a large ugly bruise. "Where'd you get that?" Leo sits up, leans closer to the marred skin.

"You! You fucking shit." Neymar smacks Leo again and glares down at him, as he presses a soft kiss to the mark. There's a good reason behind this action, Leo rationalizes to himself, he doesn't want Neymar to stay pissed at him, nothing more, nothing less, a kiss to placate Neymar's temper.

"It looks nasty... But if it makes you feel any better." Leo peels back the covers, baring his heavily bruised shins.

"That was me?" Neymar sounds remorseful, his fingers trailing up Leo's shins carefully, his touch barely registering it's so light.

"You're a terrible person to share a bed with." Leo laughs, trying to wipe the odd expression on Neymar's face off. "You kick worse that a horse."

"I don't usually." He says softly, shaking his head, and turning from Leo."Just ask my Rafa how good I am at sharing a bed." He pulls his shirt off over his head, and sits on the end of the bed, scrubbing at his face. His posture is so incredibly tired looking, like he needs to lie back down and sleep some more. His exhaustion makes something writhe in the pit of Leo's stomach, but he ignores it in favor of scooting down the bed and plastering himself to Neymar's back.

"You know how to make me feel special." He laughs in Neymar's ear, licking over the tattoo behind it. "Now I know why you always throw me out." He laughs again, feeling Neymar relax in his arms. "You wanna cuddle up with Rafa... It's okay, baby." Neymar growls, trying to pull away from Leo's arms. He does really object to being called baby, and Leo enjoys playing on his objection far too much. "I get it though. You want a bit of rough on the side." He starts trailing kisses over Neymar's shoulders, feeling him settle back down, relaxing into Leo's arms, moaning softly as Leo carefully nips at his skin.

"I don't really have time for this, you know?" He mutters, twisting his head slightly, catching Leo's eye.

"I'll make it quick." Leo laughs, flopping backwards, wriggling out of his boxers, watching Neymar stand to shed his own, then straddling his thighs, leaning down to kiss him, surprisingly soft, but that's probably a result of hoe tired he is more than anything else.

"So no change there then." He snorts, letting Leo move him to lie on his back. "Lube's in my bag." He tells Leo, his tone imperious and haughty. Leo rolls his eyes and fetches the little bottle, tossing it to Neymar, letting him prep himself. He's more efficient than Leo when it comes to that. It takes him very little time to deem himself ready, and Leo settles between his thighs, spreading his legs wider, hands pressing on his thighs, as Leo smirks down at Neymar.

"One day, I'm gonna tie you down... Fuck you when you're spread as far as you can." Leo coats his cock in lube quickly and rubs his cock head over Neymar's hole. "Or maybe when you're warming up. You can twist into some fucking sexy positions Neymar. All stretched out, this pretty ass on display." He trusts into Neymar's body, groaning at the tightness. "Fuck, naked, next time you're stretching it should be naked, in a hotel room, with me watching." Neymar rolls his eyes and his hips, irritation warring with enjoyment. Leo's fucks into him firmly setting the pace hard and fast. Neymar manages to free his legs from Leo's grasp, and wraps them around his waist, squeezing Leo tightly.

"Harder." Neymar moans, his head pressed down against the bed, his throat bared. "C'mon, harder." He groans when all Leo does is lick his neck, briefly nibbling at his Adam's apple.

"You need it harder, huh? You need this fat cock pounding your tight little ass. Want me to wreck you? Leave you limping round all the publicity you gotta do today?" Leo smirks down at Neymar, watching ire rising in him. "How hard you want it, baby?" The moment Neymar tries to buck Leo off, he fucks down into him harder, as hard as he can, Neymar's struggling fading to vaguely need moans, his nails scratching up Leo's back, leaving little burning trails in their wake. "That's it, baby." Another struggle thwarted by another powerful thrust, and Neymar yanks at his hair, pulling him into a battle of a kiss, teeth and tongues clashing. Neymar's heels dig into Leo's back, one hand fisted in his hair, tugging and pulling in time with Leo brutal thrusts, the nails from Neymar's other hand clawing up his back. "How close are you?" Leo pants down at Neymar, he looks incredibly close, his eyes all hazy and unfocussed.

"You gonna?" Neymar asks, already untangling his hand from Leo's hair, taking his cock in his hand, jacking himself off with quick, tight little strokes.

"Fuck, fuck... Neymar... Hurry up and come." Leo groans, pounding into him, feeling his orgasm building, almost at his breaking point. Neymar snorts, but his hand does speed up, his head pressing down further against the bed as he comes, his back arching, eyes firmly closed, mouth open slightly. His body tightens further, and Leo manages a few thrusts into his almost painfully tight hole, before spilling his cum inside of him. "Fuck." Leo collapses on top of Neymar, catching his breath, enjoying the after-effects of a good fuck. The lazily sated feeling of contentment that fucking Neymar gives him is something Leo should be perhaps less attached to. Neymar stays where he is for a few moments, his hands absently moving over Leo's back, slowly, gently. It's nice, possibly not entirely in the parameters of fuck buddies but it's not something Leo's going to complain about. Eventually, he squirms beneath Leo, wriggling out from under him and going to shower. Leo regards the ceiling once more, not really thinking of anything but the mental image of Neymar showering, listening to the splashes and running water coming from the bathroom, and picturing suds running over Neymar's sleek, wet body. It doesn't take Neymar long to emerge from the shower, a towel low on his hips, water glistening in on his chest, another towel over his head, being used to scrub vigorously at his hair.

"You gonna get cover-up done on that?" Leo asks, watching Neymar pull his clothes on, then start stuffing things into his case.

"Why?" He shrugs, not looking up, even as he throws yesterday's clothes at Leo. An odd feeling settles in Leo's stomach, the idea of Neymar wearing a mark he put on him, even if it was by accident is strangely pleasing. "

Neymar might be getting tired of him, but Leo's pretty sure that he's nowhere done with Neymar, there's a thousand little things he'd like to do to that pretty little body of Neymar's, a thousand places and ways he wants to fuck him.

"I'm tired, Leo." He turns to glance at Leo; he looks terrible utterly rundown. "I don't think I'm in any shape for anything." He sighs, rubbing his eyes, and Leo steps closer to him, wraps his arms around him holding him tight. He's not sure why but holding Neymar in this moment seems like the right thing to do, the way Neymar melts against him, seemingly nuzzling at his throat, makes that something in the pit of his stomach flair up again.

"I'll bring you cheat food and a shitty movie as soon as we arrive in Barca, we can hang?" It feels like an incredibly stupid thing to ask, but the nice thing about ill defined and mutually beneficial things is that sex only has to be one facet of their relationship, the best facet but only one, hanging out with your fuck buddy isn't weird, and the squiggling feeling in the pit of his stomach that's trying to argue with him can just fuck off.

"Sure... Later." Neymar mutters, ignoring Leo as he leaves, sneaking down the corridor, hoping no one catches him. This thing with his fuck buddy is, after all, ill defined, mutually beneficial, and secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After all the drama happened in Brazil, Neymar went back to Paris to watch his team gets eliminate when he's fucking injured.
> 
> 1\. I cried a lot last night still wanna cry.  
> 2\. People should mind their own business, Neymar can fuck whoever he wants.  
> 3\. He can party all year, it's his decision.  
> 4\. Hope to see him play in premier league.  
> 5\. This chapter is for consolation, I don't know how.  
> 6\. Ney looks fucking pretty and sexy even when he's upset.


	13. In Bloom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every day is the same, yet utterly different. Every day consists of getting ready for the tournament, World Cup involves so much waiting. Leo isn't a fan of waiting, his mind is constantly abuzz, he's got a million different paths all planned out how this going to be, from the ridiculous to the glorious. It's a sliver of comfort in a lot of discomfort.

When he gets to Paris, it's the tiny hours of the morning. He's fairly confident that Neymar will be awake, Neymar's usually awake, so he doesn't bother being quiet as he clumps up the stairs, half expecting Neymar to say something.

"Hey." He pushes the living room door open, the TV's on so when there's no response from Neymar, it's a bit of a surprise. He's curled up on the couch, lying on his side, arms wrapped around a throw pillow. "You sleepin'?" It's one of those moments, glorious little moments where there's some feeling creeping through Leo's body, some strange electricity filling him. It's not a feeling he's ever had before, not one that he's familiar with, but enjoys because it's unfamiliar, unlike the Neymar inspired maladies; this feeling is something he adores. He brushes Neymar's hair from his face, getting a soft little grumble from Neymar. "Shh... C'mon bed, Ney." Neymar isn't light, and he's nothing but dead-weight, but it's not too hard to scoop him up and carry him to bed.

"Why are you carrying me? I have feet you know." Neymar sounds mildly amused and more than a little sleepy, his voice soft and quiet.

"Lemme be all macho, hmm?" Leo kisses the top of his head, and uses his shoulder to nudge open the bedroom door, then drops Neymar on the bed.

"Very impressive." Neymar yawns, and wriggles under the covers, apparently the loose pants he's wearing constitutes sleep clothes, and Leo strips down, before climbing in behind the snuggled up bundle of blankets Neymar's gathered around himself.

"You cold?" He tries to tug some extra from around Neymar, trying to add to his own meager share of the covers.

"Huh? No... Just not used to having you home all that much." Neymar lets the blankets go easily, and squirms over to Leo, pulling him to his back, tucking himself up to Leo's side, falling asleep as quickly as Leo.

Domestic was once a word Leo dreaded, but it's now something he adores. Domestic means he gets to spend his time lazily holding Neymar, watching TV, and enjoying not feeling even mildly unwell, domestic means their dancing to the beat of the same drum and it's glorious. Domestic is how Leo spent the majority of his scant downtime between end of the season, and going to World Cup. A few days with Neymar, pottering around, indulging in everything being on the road means he can't have, which isn't strictly true, there's plenty of opportunity for Leo to fuck rats, but that would defeat the purpose of having a Neymar at home. Neymar who is perfectly capricious, and as likely to indulge Leo as he is to tell him to fuck off, his plants need watering. It's a ridiculous thing to be jealous of, but there's a tiny part of Leo that's envious of the way Neymar sings to his plants, of the way he caters to their every need with gentle fingers, and patience. Domestic is perhaps also the word for Leo himself, he's become rather contented with the idea of a life lived at the whims of his Sphinx, contented with the idea of having nowhere else to spend his days, but lying with his head in Neymar's lap.

"You look rather pleased with yourself." Neymar's voice drags him from his thoughts, and Leo glances up with a smile.

"I am." His smile doesn't shift, and Neymar rolls his eyes, looking mildly put out, before leaning down to kiss Leo's lips.

"Dare I ask why?" Neymar laughs, as he settles back against the sofa, his fingers absently stroking along Leo's collarbone.

"No real reason." Leo shrugs, he's not sure there is a real reason he's feeling quite so contended with himself. This might be the last night they have together for a while, but they've done nothing out of the ordinary, a quiet, comfortably lazy day in the same way all the other days have been comfortably lazy. Neymar pulls an odd little pout, and Leo smirks at him, reaching up, and pulling him down for an awkwardly angled kiss. "No real reason but that I love you." He smiles as he breaks the kiss, and a rather self-satisfied smirk spreads over Neymar's lips. "I recall, not so long ago I was denied a goodbye blowjob by Geri." Neymar laughs, and shifts beneath Leo, his smirk fading into a more indulgent smile.

"You were." He nods, shifting more, causing Leo sit up. "I suppose you'd like one now then?" Neymar moves to kneel between Leo's legs. "Like this?" His hands are at Leo's fly, looking up at him, waiting for the go-ahead. Leo considers it, and nods vaguely; he does like Neymar on his knees. Leo's hand finds its way into Neymar's hair, and he molds it to the curve of Neymar's skull.

"How..." Neymar glances up from opening Leo's pants, drawing his cock out and beginning to jack it. Leo has a considerable amount of memories of Neymar on his knees blowing him, memories of it being something hurried locker room, memories of it being hard and fast, all drool and gagging. Since they've progressed into being in a relationship, he's been careful with Neymar, careful because they're domestic, careful because they're in a relationship, careful because new Neymar is warm and cuddly, and Leo thinks he likes careful, but if he's honest, Leo wouldn't mind being a lot less careful. Neymar smirks at him and opens his mouth wide, resting the head of Leo's cock on his tongue.

"Ney?" Leo's fingers press lightly against Neymar's skull, the urge to pull his head forward, to bury his cock in Neymar's throat is strong, but he's holding back. Neymar lets Leo's cock drop from his mouth, and rolls his eyes.

"You want a fucking written invitation?" Neymar sounds so much like he did in hotel rooms up and down Spain, his eyes narrowed, and the last time Leo was in something like this situation, he'd be drunk and convinced Neymar that he was going to leave him. This time though, there's a little of cuddly sweet new Neymar behind his coolly assessing stare.

"Jesus... Demanding aren't we?" Leo chuckles, palms his cock, swiping Neymar's lips with the head. "Want me to fuck your tight little throat, baby?" Neymar moans, and rests his fists on Leo's thighs, looking to stand, but Leo's hand is in his hair, holding him in place. "C'mon baby... You were all raring to go."

"You call me baby once more and I punch you in the balls." Bristling capricious Neymar is firmly in charge it seems, and Leo laughs, a full deep belly laugh.

"Sure... Whatever, kitten." He mutters, and slides his cock into Neymar's mouth, feeling his tongue swirling round the head. "Just the tip?" He laughs, and Neymar pulls back, his tongue dabbing at the slit, his eyes locked on Leo's.

"Fuck me. I miss you fucking my throat." Neymar's wearing a smirk, and Leo's more than grateful he's getting the verbal equivalent of the previously offered written invitation, is grateful that Neymar misses the rougher side of sex. As much as Leo adores the soft, sweet sex that's become the staple of their love life, there are times he wants something rough and dirty, to have Neymar offering him it, is more than appreciated.

"You sure?" Leo cradles Neymar's jaw, his thumb pressing at the joint, making him open his mouth wider. Neymar nods, and Leo shakes his head. "Okay, kitten... Lemme know if it's too much for you." With little preamble, Leo draws Neymar's head down, feeling his tongue rubbing the underside of his cock, the head nudging at Neymar's throat. "Relax... You can take this fat cock, baby." Leo's hand tightens in Neymar's hair, and he smirks at the glare he gets from Neymar. "That's it." Neymar takes his cock a little deeper, and Leo holds his head still, staring down into Neymar's gorgeous eyes as they widen slightly, his nostrils flaring. He guides Neymar's head back, letting him gulp down air, before thrusting back into his mouth, far deeper than before. He feels Neymar's gag reflex make his throat spasm around his cock, a soft chocking sound escaping Neymar, and once more he lets Neymar back, lets him catch his breath. "Okay?" Neymar doesn't answer, he instead sucks Leo down, taking him as deep as he can and starts bobbing his head rapidly, his throat contracting on the occasional involuntary gags he has. Leo holds Neymar's head still, and thrusts up into him, rapidly fucking his throat, stopping only when Neymar raps on his foot. When Leo releases him, he pulls back coughing. "Ney?" Leo's hand curves around Neymar's cheek, and he shakes his head.

"More." His voice is rough and croaky, the abused edge to it makes Leo's cock twitch, and he concedes to Neymar hoarse request, fucking his throat almost without mercy, his hands tightly tangled in Neymar's hair, holding him in place longer and longer, letting him up for air and to cough less and less. When he comes down Neymar's tight throat, his hands are on the back of Neymar's head, holding him in place, not letting him pull back and snatch a breath, until there's a sharp little smack to his ankle. Neymar's eyes are watery and round, he's gulping for air, his hair's a mess, sticking up at odd angles from the rough treatment, but there's a smile on his lips. In that moment, disheveled and panting, he’s more beautiful than he's ever been.

"Jesus..." Leo mutters, swiping his thumb over Neymar's slightly swollen bottom lip. Neymar laughs, the sound rough as it leaves his just fucked throat. His tongue flicks out to wet his lips, and runs over Leo's thumb, the soft smile stretching into a grin. He shoves at Leo's shoulders and clambering up into his lap, he kisses Leo, slow and thorough, a hint of the taste of Leo's cum mingling with the flavor of him. Leo cups the back of his head. Leo smiles, kissing the tip of Neymar's nose. 

"Probably time we started returning that favor..." Neymar nuzzles against Leo's shoulder, and Leo concedes to the unspoken request that Neymar's making by wrapping his arm around him. "You gonna tie your pants or you hoping to get lucky again?" Leo laughs and kisses Neymar's hair, but he leaves his pants open, he's always secretly been an optimist.

Leaving Neymar is not fun. It wasn't fun when they were still in the mutually beneficial, ill-defined thing, it was all paranoia and nervousness. Then, during the malady stage of their relationship, leaving was giving the horrible minor physical ailments Leo suffered through free reign to fuck with his day. Now, leaving Neymar is like condemning himself to poor sleep, and a constant ache in his chest, different to the vice, more like something hollow, something waiting for the warmth of Neymar's presence to fill it. He'd left Neymar with a kiss and a vague promise of calling when he landed. It's far from enough, but it'll have to do for a month, because there isn't going to be time to skulk back to Paris, no matter how much Leo wants to, he's going to be busy, and he knows it.

Every day is the same, yet utterly different. Every day consists of getting ready for the tournament, World Cup involves so much waiting. Leo isn't a fan of waiting, his mind is constantly abuzz, he's got a million different paths all planned out how this going to be, from the ridiculous to the glorious. It's a sliver of comfort in a lot of discomfort. Being in Barcelona and away from Neymar is one thing, at least then there are tiny snippets of time he can call, there are endless journeys he can make entertaining by texting, but as the World Cup approach there is less time for anything but being nervous. At night instead of having the energy to call Neymar, or even accept a call from him, all Leo can do is collapse into bed and sleep.

They're only one week left before going to Russia when the ache in Leo's chest becomes too painful to really deal with, he needs Neymar, needs to hear him at the very least. It was a spur of the moment thing, sending a text that toed the line between needy and sweet. He didn't get a reply, and he honestly wasn't too surprised. He'd been expecting silence, and honestly almost expects an irritated text from Dani, with threats and exasperation at how two people can be so stupid, about Neymar needs to focus, that Neymar’s mind is all over the place. Sleep crept up on Leo, leaving him alone in an empty bed, aching with the desire to be sharing it with his capricious Sphinx bastard.

"Boo." The bed behind Leo sinks slightly, and he turns, pulling Neymar close without really waking up, sleep begins to slip away as he realizes that this isn't some kind of incredibly pleasant but utterly false dream. Neymar is here, warm and soft in his arms. "Go back to sleep." He whispers softly, but Leo ignores him, pulling him closer, nuzzling at his neck, earning a soft little whimper of a noise. He's not entirely sure he trusts this to not be a dream, Neymar being there would be far too good to consider, and it seems so unlikely that he'd have made the trek all the way to Argentina just to share a bed with him.

"Why you here?" Leo sounds strangely drunk, even to his own ears.

"Missed you." Neymar squirms in Leo's arms, settling himself into a more comfortable position, his fingers petting the skin of Leo's back.

"Miss me huh?" Leo snorts, kissing the skin of his shoulder. 

"Missed you." Neymar repeats firmly, nuzzling against Leo. "Love you, missed you too much, so I'm here. How long we staying out here, anyways?"

"We?" Leo feels distinctly like a parrot, like he's pointlessly repeating words because as ever, the Brazil bred Sphinx bastard is refusing to say what he means from the get go. It should be annoying, and most of the time it is, but it seems kind of endearing in that moment. A sure sign Leo's been away too long, if he's finding Neymar's most annoying habits cute, he needs to be reminded of them more often.

"Of course we." Neymar snorts, and moves to straddle Leo, pulling his shirt over his head, and grinning. It seems he's decided that sleeping is over-rated, and with a mostly naked Neymar on top of him, Leo is desperately inclined to agree with his Sphinx bastard, especially when he's being quite so unexpectedly straightforward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I nearly gave up through writing this (who the hell cries writing a blow job?). writing this, is like digging and scratching an old wound, especially with the rumors about Ney's transfer to Real.
> 
> Honestly I HATE Real but for Ney's sake I'm trying to like them and become a fan of them IF he's going to Madrid (I love him THAT much). I'm a fucking mess, BUT I WILL continue posting this. 
> 
> Who knows maybe Neymar goes to Real and I write a Isco/Neymar fanfic.


	14. Pulga

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The role of Neymar's best friend is very different, and far less enjoyable than the role of his lover. It would be far too difficult to have to resist the lure of kissing Neymar whenever he has a particularly cute pout on his face, far too difficult to resist cheering him up with sex and snuggling if all Leo was, was his friend. Dani is a man of immense and considerable self-control in Leo's mind.

"That the woman?" Gerard's draped over Leo's shoulder trying to read the message before Leo can reply. He possibly should dissuade his friend from referring to Neymar as his woman. Neymar definitely doesn't approve, but it seems to amuse both him and Luis, and Leo doesn't have the heart to take easy amusement away from them. Months ago, he'd have kicked up a stink about it, but things were very different then. Then, Neymar had just walked, left with no explanation, no reason, no nothing. Now, well the situation on Neymar leaving is pretty much the same, but the relationship he has with Neymar has changed. They have a relationship for a start. It's so far and beyond the ill-defined, mutually beneficial thing, it's something that's slowly building, slowly growing, slowly getting stronger, and more important to Leo. Neymar has all but cemented himself into Leo's psyche as a necessity, up there with breathing and football, and Leo's certain he's as high up Neymar's list of necessities.

People seem to be slowly accepting that Neymar is gone, but they truly are taking their time, they're still clinging to hope, there's still the incessant bleating about Neymar in the news, but there's nothing much to be done there. It's been madness since the new season started after such a catastrophic World Cup, madness that is comfortable and familiar. Before going to Russia, Neymar had come to him, because he was missed him. It's still something that makes Leo stupidly proud. It's been far too long since he's had sex with Neymar, been far too long since they've kissed, or lain curled up around each other, and there's no way Gerard is getting to impinge on Leo's domestic time with his Kitten.

"Say hello for me." Leo nods to Gerard, and leaves at his words, ignoring the few questions sent to his friend about who Leo's mysterious woman is. Its luck more than anything that no one seems to have figured out that Leo spends so much time in Paris.

Leo can't say he's overly surprised at Dani being over. Neymar's been clingy over him after World Cup, and after Champions League start their schedule has been crazy and there was little time left to visit each other so it seems like Neymar is trying to gorge himself on his best friend's company. It's not something Leo's complaining about though; anything that keeps Neymar's occasional bouts of insanity from him is a good thing. Neymar sounds more than a little indulgent, but Dani merely scoffs, although he can’t understand a word their saying in Portuguese.

Leo gives up trying to follow Brazil bred bastard logic at that. This is clearly one of those strange conversations that will lead to the Neymar having a semi-squabble that'll spill into something more along the lines of the reasoning of children or a tickling match. How the pair of them are considered adults sometimes eludes Leo, but it's fun to watch. There's nothing quite like seeing how childish, and ridiculous Dani’s Ney is compared to old Neymar and even to new Neymar. It kind of makes him wonder which one is closest to the truth of the man Leo loves, though honestly, he sees more and more of what he supposes is Dani’s Ney, so that must be the real one. The Sphinx bastard is a confusing and contradictory man, in both word and deed sometimes.

Leo flops down on the couch, getting a peck on the cheek and a lapful of Neymar quickly.

Dani tosses the remote to Leo. "I should get going. I'll see you later, Ney. Make sure he sleeps sometime to night."

Neymar is up and off Leo, trailing along behind Dani, talking low and soft. Leo shakes his head, he's not jealous of their friendship, not any more at least. It's hard to be jealous of something so utterly special. It's a relationship to be admired, but not one to covet; having to deal with Neymar in the way that Alves does isn't something Leo's envious of in the least. The role of Neymar's best friend is very different, and far less enjoyable than the role of his lover. It would be far too difficult to have to resist the lure of kissing Neymar whenever he has a particularly cute pout on his face, far too difficult to resist cheering him up with sex and snuggling if all Leo was, was his friend. Dani is a man of immense and considerable self-control in Leo's mind.

"When's your mom off to Brazil?" Leo asks as Neymar comes back, settling on the couch beside him, all warm and soft. It's ridiculous how much Leo misses just sitting together like this when he's on the road. For all that snuggling on the couch was something he'd been terrified of when cuddly new Neymar had first made his appearance, he's certain that now if all he had was the Neymar he had first fucked, he'd miss this. On the road he misses sex with Neymar, he would be lying if he said he didn't, but he craves having Neymar's body next to him, longs to feel Neymar curled up at his side, safe and warm, just content being with Leo.

"February sometime... Don't remember when exactly." Neymar mutters, he sounds slightly miserable, and Leo doesn't quite have the heart to call him on his lies. Leo has no doubt Neymar knows exactly when and for how long his best friend is going to be gone.

"Will he be back for your birthday?" Leo squeezes Neymar tightly, feeling him tense up beside him.

"Why the sudden interest in Dani's plans?" Neymar squirms out of Leo's hold, and curls up on the opposite side of the couch, looking as tense as he'd felt. Leo sighs and pulls at his ankles, drawing his feet into his lap.

"I'm just wondering when I'm going to get treated to more crazy texts is all." Leo rubs absently at Neymar's toes, feeling them wriggle.

"I can just as soon not text you." Neymar pulls his feet back, curled into himself, seeming to be in some kind of mood. Something's bothering him, but Leo isn't in the mood for an argument, certainly not the kind of bitter, snipey one he knows Neymar is capable of.

"I like getting the crazy texts..." It's a timid attempt at placating Neymar, but it seems to work well enough, the tension seeping from him, his posture relaxing. "I just wish you weren't in the position to have to send them, Ney." Neymar looks over at Leo, shock on his face, and Leo laughs at him, leaning over to press a kiss to his lips. "What? You think I don't know that I'm second on the list for getting crazy Neymar messages?" Neymar snorts in amusement and winds his arms around Leo, pulling him to rest on top of him.

"I'm sorry... But me and Dani, it's-"

"I know." Leo grins up at Neymar, kissing him again. "He's your best friend, and fuck knows I want nothing to do with that."

"You don't want to be my friend?" Neymar sounds offended, something stricken in his eyes. The urge to laugh at him is strong, but Leo settles for a soft little smile and another kiss, crawling up slightly, to pin Neymar against the arm of the couch. Being Neymar's friend really isn't something Leo wants, he wants to be more, he wants what he has, being Neymar's lover is infinitely more than being his friend, but clearly, Neymar is taking this the wrong way.

"Fuck no... I've absolutely no designs on being a replacement for your mom." Neymar stares up at him, his expression layered and confusing. He looks torn between disappointment and elation, and really Leo's certain it's an expression only a Brazil bred Sphinx bastard is capable of wearing. "My designs are on something a lot less... Familial." Leo smirks, lapping at Neymar's throat and tickling his ribs, getting an odd mixture of a quietly aroused moan and a giggle.

"I'm glad... Incest is definitely illegal." Neymar squirms beneath him, and Leo leans back, staring down at him. "What?" Leo doesn't have the words for what, he's not really thinking of anything, just staring at Neymar's face, staring at his eyes, at the little smile on his lips, the tiny little blush on his cheeks, staring at how stupidly cute and happy he looks. "Seriously, what? This staring thing is kinda creepy." Leo shakes his head, his hand resting on Neymar's cheek, his thumb stroking under his eye. He looks good for an unemployed lay about. "You gonna say anything..." Leo moves from being braced over Neymar and pulls him with him, rearranging their positions so that Neymar is resting against Leo's chest. "You're fucking weird sometimes." Neymar mutters, settling himself so that his arms are pillowed on Leo, his cheek resting on them, letting him stare at Leo's face. The strange silent staring contest lasts for far longer than he was expecting, Leo almost wants to think of something to break the silence, but it's not uncomfortable, for all Neymar's stare is unblinking, it's not hard to sit still under it. Once it'd felt like being under a microscope that honed in on all of Leo's flaws, but now, he's pretty sure that Neymar knows those flaws and has accepted them as necessary parts of who Leo is. "You're lucky the fact I love you cancels out the weird." Neymar breaks the staring contest, and turns to the TV, Leo had honestly forgotten it was still on.

"Hmm, I'm not that weird." He ruffles Neymar hair, getting nothing but a haughty snort in response. "C'mon compared to some people I'm normal." Leo laughs, and Neymar turns back to him, a smirk on his lips.

"For a given value of normal, I guess." He leans up and kisses Leo, a languid slow kiss, the sort of kiss that's completely meaningless, but utterly momentous. "You watching this shit?" He jerks his head at the TV, the remote in his hand.

"Nope." It's true enough; Leo's barely watched anything that isn't Neymar since he got home. It should be more alarming that he thinks of Neymar's house as home so easily, but it's just another aspect of being domestic, it's another jolt of that unfamiliar but beloved electricity.

"C'mon then." Neymar stands, despite Leo's ardent clinging, letting Neymar get too far from him isn't something Leo wants, he wants to hold Neymar fast and firm until he has to let him go. "Bed." Neymar holds a hand out to Leo, laughing when Leo uses it to pull him back down, holding him tightly as he kisses him, one hand straying down to squeeze his ass. "C'mon, bed." Neymar breaks the kiss, a grin on his face, and Leo smirks back at him, his hand slipping under Neymar's pants to knead at his ass.

"I'm not tired." Leo laughs, and Neymar squirms out of his arms, pulling his shirt over his head.

"Didn't say we were gonna be sleeping, did I?" He leaves the room, and Leo clicks the TV off, following along behind Neymar, collecting the clothes he's taken off and left behind him like a little trail of breadcrumbs. When he gets to the bedroom, Neymar is naked and prepping himself, his legs spread, knees bent, his feet on the bed, rocking down onto his own fingers.

"This what you get up to when I'm gone, Kitten?" Leo dumps the clothes Neymar left behind him in the laundry basket and quickly adds his own, not wanting to tear his eyes away from watching Neymar playing with himself. "You lie in bed like this, playing with yourself when I'm away?" Leo perches on the end of the bed, his eyes roaming over Neymar's body, trying to decide where he wants to watch.

"Uh-huh." Neymar moans, moving a third finger inside of himself. "I think bout you when I do... Think bout you being with me, watching me." Leo lets his fingers trail up Neymar's shin, to his knee, then back down to his ankle. "About how much better your hands feel." Neymar moans again and Leo presses a kiss to his knee.

"Lemme then." He catches Neymar's wrist and stills the hand on his cock. Neymar takes his fingers from inside himself and gazes up at Leo. "Let me get you ready." He opens the lube and coats his fingers, easing one inside Neymar. He feels about ready from his own actions, but Leo did say he'd get Neymar ready himself. He stretches and teases Neymar's body, working up to three fingers, with many detours to caress and place little kisses on his thighs. There's no speed in Leo's actions, there's a slow deliberateness behind them. He wants to savor this time with Neymar, he's no guarantees on when he'll get another night like this, so he wants to cherish each gasp, each moan, each little movement of Neymar's body beneath him as he preps him.

"Enough, enough." Neymar eventually tires of being teased and toyed with, his hair is already damp, his cheeks flushed, his eyes bright with arousal. Leo grins at him, keeping the desire to tease him just a little more at bay, his own cock is painfully hard, and he wants to be inside Neymar as much as Neymar wants it.

"I miss this." Leo murmurs when he's fully sheathed inside Neymar's body, cradling him close, his hands under his shoulders holding him tightly against Leo's chest.

"This?" Neymar's voice is soft and close to his ear, his arms wrapped just as tightly around Leo. "Fucking me?"

"Yeah... I miss you when I'm on the road." It's slightly embarrassing to be so very honest about how he feels, but a lack of transparency was what caused them to dance around each other in the first place. If this relationship is going to work, and Leo so wants it to work, they're going to have to be open with each other. It'll run the risk of being too sappy and scaring one or both of them, but so long as they're scared together, it'll be okay.

"I..." Neymar sighs, and presses his head back against the pillow, meeting Leo's eyes. "You remember, when you asked me if I missed you the first time you came here after I left?" He looks desperately serious, like this is something that's been weighing on him since then.

"I remember." Leo pecks him on the tip of his nose, chasing that miserably serious expression from Neymar's face.

"I didn't answer you, not really at least." Neymar says quietly, squeezing his ass muscles around Leo's cock, dragging a low groan from his throat. "But if I had..." He closes his eyes and sighs again. "I've missed you since the day I left." Leo stares down at Neymar, watching a dark blush spreading over his cheeks that's nothing to do with his arousal. He's being painfully brave in this moment, Leo knows it must have taken a lot for him to make that tentative confession, and he's grateful for it.

"I'm sorry." Leo leans down and kisses him, trying to make the kiss say what his words sorely lack, he can't really think of the words to say what he wants. He wants Neymar to know that he bitterly missed him when he left, the questions he'd asked that day had been in earnest, every one of them from are you coming back to you miss me? Every question Leo had, and in most cases still does, want an answer for, but not if it's too much for Neymar, not if answering him hurts. There's nothing Leo wants more than for Neymar to be happy.

"What?" Neymar's voice is tiny, so very soft, riddled with something close to pain, and Leo draws back from him, withdrawing his cock, resting the head just inside of him.

"I'm sorry you've missed me. I'm sorry I'm not here more. I'm sorry it took your mom so long to make me realize this is where I should be. I'm sorry I took so long to realize how much I love you." With every apology, he slides a little deeper into Neymar, until he's fully buried in his body, whispering I love you against his lips.

"Love you too." There's a smile in Neymar's voice, something warm and light, something that sends sparks of electricity down Leo's spine. "Enough of this talking bullshit." Neymar squeezes him tightly, his legs wrapping around Leo's hips. "I want you to fuck me with that big, fat cock of yours. Want you to pound my little ass, make me limp for days. Fuck me, fuck my little ass-pussy hard, babe."

"Oh god... I don't sound like that do I?" Leo scowls, and pulls back, thrusting into Neymar firmly.

"Exactly like that! It's the worst." Neymar moans, his nails digging into Leo's back.

"Alright you win." Leo kisses Neymar deeply, his hips working smooth and steady, fucking him with powerful but unhurried thrusts. "I'm never talking dirty to you again." Neymar laughs, a note of triumph that dissolves into a moan as Leo angles his thrusts to rub against his prostate. He keeps that slow steady pace, building up to his orgasm slowly, enjoying the quiet gasps and low moans of Neymar as he fucks him. He can feel Neymar's cock between them, hard and leaking pre-cum, but he makes no move towards touching Neymar, he's got an idea in mind for how to bring Neymar off. The thought brings his orgasm closer, and he speeds his thrusts up, coming with a muffled gasp, his face buried against Neymar's neck, feeling his cock still hard between them.

"Move, I wanna come." Neymar almost whines in his ear, and Leo ignores him in favor of nibbling at his throat, putting a delicate little mark there, feeling strangely proud that it's going to be there for long after start of the season. Every time Neymar sees that little bruise, he'll remember Leo over him, putting it there. "C'mon." Neymar's writhing beneath Leo, trying to come by rutting against his stomach. "Touch me, fuck me some more, do something." Neymar mutters, still moving beneath Leo, his hard cock rubbing on Leo's abdomen. He pulls out of Neymar and slumps on the bed beside him.

"There, I did something." Leo smirks at him lazily, and Neymar thumps his fist on the bed, scowling at Leo.

"Not that." He moves to straddle Leo's hips, his cock in his hand, jerking quickly. It's a nice image, and one that one-day Leo's going to want to see, but not tonight. Tonight he wants to Neymar sit on his face.

"C'mere." Leo's hands move to Neymar's hips, dragging him forward, until his hole in range for Leo's mouth, and he licks around Neymar's slightly loosen hole, dripping cum. A strangled little moan is wrenched from Neymar's throat as he moves against his mouth.

"Can I?" His face is flushed, his hair damp, and his expression is as ripe with trepidation as his voice. He's clearly not sure how much Leo's willing to take, but the truth is Leo wants all Neymar can give. He wants Neymar to fuck his face as hard and as fast as he can.

"Go on, baby." Neymar scowls down at him, and Leo keeps a firm grip of his thighs, stopping him from moving. The sleazy dirty talk might be something Leo intends to give up, but baby will probably never be exorcised from his vocabulary. "Move as hard as you like, Ney."

"Hmmph, you asked for it." Neymar smirks at the unimpressed look on Leo's face, and push his hole on his tongue over and over. He'd expected Neymar to tentative, cautious, at first at least, but Leo's not complaining, not when this was exactly what he wanted, to taste both of them. Neymar stills, letting Leo compose himself, and then starts moving again. It's not brutal, it's not as much as he could give, but it's fast enough for Leo love it. One hand strays from Neymar's thighs, down to his asshole, a finger pushing inside him, trailing through the cum in and around his tight little hole. "Ah...Fuck." Neymar moans, his head falling back, his hips stuttering. His bared throat, the taut lines of his body, the trickles of sweat running down his chest, the sight draws a moan from Leo, making Neymar's hips falter in their fucking once more. "More." Leo slides another finger into Neymar, fucking him roughly, pressing against his prostate, trying to match the pace of his hips, trying to snatch a breath when Neymar lets him. When Neymar comes, with three of Leo's fingers in his ass along with his tongue. He seems almost frail, shaky and soft like a newborn kitten.

"You okay?" Leo's voice is rough.

"No..." Neymar curls up at Leo's side, his head on his chest. It's not the answer Leo was expecting, and he tenses beneath Neymar, his hands stilling in their gentle petting of his skin. "I'm better than okay." He smiles up at Leo, and nuzzles against him, his voice softly sated.

"Good." They lay silently together, bodies cooling in each other's arms, another one of those gloriously domestic moments Leo misses far too much when he's away from Neymar.

"You go tomorrow?" Neymar shifts beside Leo, slightly restless, his fingers absently drawing on Leo's skin. It's almost like there's something not quite right with him, and as much as Leo wants this soft, comfortable domestic feeling to remain it's probably not.

"Uh...yeah. Why?" Leo presses a kiss to Neymar's hair, squeezing him gently. He can feel something in air between them, something weighty and unexpected. It's a feeling Leo doesn't like, he can't stand how dark it feels, it's something that has no business being between them, not now, not after everything they've been through to get to this relationship. "You okay, Kitten?" He asks again, tilting Neymar's face up to him. There's an odd distant look on Neymar's face, and he shakes his head, glancing away. "C'mon, don't start with this... Talk to me, or I'll call your mom." Neymar snorts, and settles himself back against Leo's side. He isn't joking when he threatens Neymar with Dani. He's not willing to engage in another round of dancing around each other, so he's not afraid to use Dani as a rod to beat Neymar's stubbornness into submission, forcing him into talking about what's bothering him.

"I miss you." He says quietly. "I think I need to find something to do. I'm... Not bored, but I need something to do with my time. You're away, Dani's away... my family, and I'm just...injured" He sighs, and Leo strokes his back gently. He's not sure what to say to that, bored and lonely is the worst. It's not something he wants for Neymar, not something he should have to experience, even if he put himself in this position.

"You could get a new hobby? Some other flowers, maybe? Orchids are indoorsy. You could grow those like some creepy serial killer on TV." Neymar laughs at him, and catches one of Leo's hands, lacing their fingers together.

"I could... I could be a breeder, try and make a new species." He yawns against Leo's shoulder, and presses a soft kiss there. "I'd name it after you, I'm ganna go to Brazil after my birthday." Neymar sounds sleepy, like before long the only sounds he'll make are the soft snuffling ones of sleep. The air between them feels lighter, like whatever dark mood Neymar had slipped into has passed as quickly and as suddenly as it had appeared.

"You'd call it Leo?" Leo kisses Neymar's hair once more, feeling just as tired, just as desperate to close his eyes and dream. It's rare he gets a night where his sleep is warmed by Neymar's presence, rare and glorious; he wants to revel in a good night's sleep with his arms wrapped around a sleeping Sphinx bastard.

"No... La Pulga." Neymar murmurs as he falls asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had a writer's block writing this.


	15. Thorns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are the people who are he can't be without, family, then his friends, then the people who are his acquaintances, and finally there are teammates. The last two groups are easy for him to be rid of, the second in the list a little trickier, and the first group Neymar would walk through hellfire for, nothing will drive him from them, or them from him. Leo would like to think he's in that first category, somewhere after his sister and his Dani, and Rafinha should be in the last, at least Leo hopes he is.

"So... Your mystery woman lives in Paris?" Rafinha's standing too close for comfort as far as Leo's concerned, and he stashes his phone, feeling the vibrations of another message from Neymar. He doesn't need or want anyone from Barca, beyond his best friends, knowing he and Neymar are together. It's not shame, or embarrassment that has him wanting it to be private, it's just that it's private. If he could, Leo wouldn't let anyone know, not even his Gerard and Luis, he wants his relationship to be just him and Neymar. It's special; it's theirs, and no one else's business. Apart from maybe Dani, but that's because the Brazil bred bastard cupid really is the one behind their relationship's existence in the first place, without him, Leo would be alone, and Neymar would be with someone who isn't Leo, which is entirely unacceptable.

"She does..." He nods, keeping the presence of Neymar being his woman up, He is after all dating the persona non-gratia in Barcelona, so even if Leo didn't want their relationship kept private, it would only damage him for his teammates to know. 

"I know it's a long shot... But have you... I mean I know you spoke to him?" Rafinha looks anxious, and Leo frowns at him. He knows exactly who him is, but he's not sure why Rafinha's so interested. "I sent him a message a while back, but nothing..." Rafinha sighs and Leo resists the urge to demand answers, good answers from him on why he's so interested in Leo's Kitten.

"Why you so interested?" He hadn't really wanted to ask that, and Rafinha looks surprised at the cold tone of Leo's words. He's not sure he regrets the iciness though; Rafinha has no business prying after Neymar.

"I just, I wanna know he's okay. By the end, we were great friends, well as much as anyone can be Neymar's friend." Rafinha laughs, and rubs at the back of his neck, looking contrite. "Sometimes I think he's got a certain allotment of friends, and he filled them all up before he ever came here." He laughs, and Leo scowls. He's not sure that's true, not really at least. He thinks Neymar just classifies his friends differently to most people. There are the people who are he can't be without, family, then his friends, then the people who are his acquaintances, and finally there are teammates. The last two groups are easy for him to be rid of, the second in the list a little trickier, and the first group Neymar would walk through hellfire for, nothing will drive him from them, or them from him. Leo would like to think he's in that first category, somewhere after his sister and his Dani, and Rafinha should be in the last, at least Leo hopes he is.

"Not talking would be an indication, to most everyone else, that he wasn't interested." Leo mutters, vaguely remembering Neymar saying something similar to him when he'd first showed up at his house after meeting Dani. The thought makes him smirk slightly, getting a confused look from Rafinha. Leo shakes his head at him, and nods at Gerard who wanders into the room, talking to some of the other boys.

"He's my friend... Well I thought he was my best friend and I'm worried, he didn’t even invite me to his birthday but he invited Arthur." Rafinha smiles bitterly, and Leo shrugs, then shakes his head. If Neymar doesn't want to talk to Rafinha, then Leo isn't going to give him anything. "Yeah, I figured as much... And no doubt Dani didn't say anything either. Fuck knows, if I was banging Neymar, I wouldn't do anything to piss him off either." Rafinha laughs, and Leo bristles, pissed that Rafinha so blithely assumes that Neymar and Dani are fucking. There's a burning in the pit of Leo's stomach that demands he set Rafinha straight and tell him that Neymar and Dani are close, ridiculously close, but they're not sleeping together because Leo is sleeping with Neymar. The roles of Neymar's best friend and his lover are filled by two very different men.

"Yeah." Leo sneers, and there's a sudden flurry of activity as Gerard barges over, grabbing Leo's wrist, pulling him away with a quick sorry to Rafinha. He drags Leo to a quiet locker room, a tight little expression on his face.

"What's up?" Gerard sounds worried, and Leo's not sure why. "You looked like you were considering murdering Rafa."

"He was asking about my woman." Leo mutters, if's he's being dragged to locker room he may as well start getting ready for training.

"Oh?" Gerard sounds interested, and Leo shakes his head, trying to clear his thoughts, trying to focus on what he's supposed to be doing tonight.

"He thinks they're fucking." Leo says quietly, wishing he had better control over his mouth tonight. He feels like he's blurting personal shit out for no real reason and it's not like him. He starts to lacing his boots, thinking of when he'd watched Neymar do the same.

"Neymar and Dani?" Gerard laughs, and Leo nods, his eyes focused on his boots, thinking of Neymar in blaugrana. "Well, at least he's off the mark." Gerard laughs, and nudges Leo's shoulder. "We're not happy about this why?" Leo glances up at him, and shakes his head.

"I'm not happy." He mutters. He's pissed off with Rafinha. Nothing that's going on in Leo's life is anything to do with him so he can just fuck off.

"No... You're pissed off and murderous, seriously all this cause he thinks Neymar is banging... Oh..." Gerard trails off and sits on a bench, a sullen frown on his face. "I miss Luis right about now... This is his fucking forte, not mine." Leo sits down by him, and laughs.

"What me being a dick?" He nudges his teammate, getting a laugh from him. "I'm always a dick... I just-"

 

"I miss him." It's a silly little admission, and Gerard laughs softly, wrapping an arm around Leo's shoulders.

"Course you do! We all miss our women! That's what they're for! Loving, missing, then loving some more." Gerard laughs, and squeezes Leo's shoulders. "You wanna drown your sorrows tonight?"

"Nah... I'm gonna call the woman, see if he's okay." Leo's really not usually this chatty about such personal things, but there's something about this conversation that makes him feel more relaxed. He thinks he finally understand why Gerard and Luis are always so anxious to hear from their women, that he finally gets that being in a relationship on the road is the worst, most lonely thing in the World until you're back home. On the road there's nothing but phone calls and loneliness, back home there's everything, and the little tastes Leo's had of everything with Neymar makes him feel gluttonous for a feast.

"Is he not okay?" Gerard sounds worried again.

"Lonely." Leo mutters, and sighs, remembering the text Neymar had sent whilst he was talking to Rafinha, and fishes his phone out of his pocket to read it.

I miss you so much... I love you. Call me when you can, okay? - Kitten 3.14

Leo stares at the message, and stands, grabbing his coat, pulling it on. Gerard looks up at him in confusion, rising to his feet too.

"What?" He asks, and Leo offers him an awkward smile, a smile he thinks he's seen Luis and Gerard himself wearing; a smile that says my woman needs me. "Say hi for me." Leo nods, heading towards his rental car, intending to talk to Neymar from there.

“ Leo!" Neymar answers quickly, he sounds strange, his voice excited but miserable, and Leo longs to take the misery from him.

"Hey Kitten. You doing okay?" There's a soft sigh on the other end of the line, and the gaping hole of loneliness in Leo's chest expands. It's not a happy sound, that sigh is almost enough to make Leo blow off being where he is to go to Paris and wrap Neymar up in his arms.

"I'm alright... What you up to?" Neymar sounds so miserable, and all Leo wants to do is hold him, to be there for him, but they are and too far away from each other. Neymar doesn't say much, in fact, Leo almost thinks he's fallen asleep until he stops talking for too long, and Neymar prompts him to keep going. Maybe an hour later, Gerard appears at the window of the car, rapping on it with his knuckles.

"I gotta get going, Kitten." Leo says softly, the single last thing he wants to do is hang-up for any reason other than getting on a plane to the hole of a city his Sphinx bastard lives in, but he has matches to play. Neymar will have to be okay on his own till Leo can get home to him, but that's not for a few days, and even then, it'll only be for a few hours. When he's there, he's going to have to make Neymar talk from the word go, no being wrapped up in how good it is to be home, otherwise this misery will still be in Neymar when Leo leaves again.

"If you're not too tired-"

"I'll call you." Leo interrupts him; even tiredness wouldn't keep him from calling Neymar, especially when he's asking to be called, which is no doubt what he was about to request. It's not something Leo thinks Neymar should feel the need to request, there's no way he'll not call, he misses Neymar just as much as he misses Leo.

"You don't have to... Not if it's too much trouble. I'll let you go." The line falls dead, and Leo scowls at the phone until Gerard knocks on the glass again, a worried look on his face, mouthing that they have to hurry they're on soon. Leo gets out of the car, and stashes his phone, struggling against the aching throb of loneliness in his chest. He needs to talk to Neymar, he needs to be there with and for him, because there's something wrong, there's something troubling his little Sphinx, and as is his way, he's not being straightforward about it.


	16. Floret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Oh! And Leo, don't forget his birthday, I know you have a match, but seriously make it... Special for him."

When Leo had called Neymar that night, the conversation had been stilted, awkward almost. They've never had a conversation like it before; Neymar is always eloquent, never unable to articulate his meaning or fumbling for words as he had been, his tone heavy with some weary weight. It's a burden that Leo wants to removed from his shoulders; he wants nothing more than for Neymar to laugh, for him to be happy. He wants nothing more than for this timid, nervousness gone from his capricious Sphinx bastard. Neymar had tried to assure Leo that he didn't have to come to Paris if he didn't have time, and Leo had wanted to get on a plane in that very moment. The desire to go to Neymar got worse when he said he understood that late night flights and brief visits are too much hassle to bother with, so if Leo didn't want to see him, it was okay.

The whole situation has Leo assuming the worst. It has horrific images running through his mind, it has him assuming that there's someone else nibbling his Neymar's crust and licking his filling. That there might be someone else is a thought that had chilled Leo's blood, and kept him awake all night. The normal physical manifestations of Neymar related stress would have been welcome in comparison to the strange feeling of his heart pumping his too chilled, too thick blood. As unwelcome and unwanted as the vice and worms were, they felt much better than the jagged, viscous feeling in his blood. Sleep would have been a much needed reprieve, but it doesn't come, instead a thousand different images of other men touching Neymar does, a thousand images that have Leo clutching his cell, debating making a call. It's late, but his mind needs to be put at ease.

"What?" The man on the other end of the line sounds annoyed, but to be fair Leo had expected that. It's gone four in the morning; no doubt, he's just fallen asleep.

"Is there someone else?" Leo thinks it's probably best to be direct in this matter, it's probably best to find out as quickly as possible. It won't make it hurt less, but it'll give the wound a head start on healing.

"Who the... Oh for fuck sake!" The man the other end of the line starts swearing, and Leo can hear sounds over the phone. The soft sounds of covers being thrown off, more swearing, a door opening then closing. "Okay, what the fuck have you two idiots done now? Cause I'm playing fucking babysitter to him, and you're calling me at-" There's a pause whilst Dani checks the time on his phone swearing when he does. "Fucking four a.m." He sounds pissed, and Leo can't say he blames him, it's early, and it seems the Brazil bred bastard cupid is getting it on both sides. It's moments like this that make Leo very glad that he isn't Neymar's best friend. Dani has a difficult and damn near thankless job really.

"Is there someone else?" Leo repeats, and tucks his knees up under his chin, listening to a long period of silence. He's not sure what Dani's doing, but he's being very quiet about it. The ice in his veins feels like its setting, like it's getting colder. There wouldn't be this silence if the answer was easy, there wouldn't be this silence if Neymar wasn't screwing around behind Leo's back.

"I'm going to kill you, both of you." He sighs eventually. "Go back to bed, Ney. This is nothing to worry about." He calls, and Leo can't help but wonder what exactly is going on in Neymar's house, Rafinha's easy assumption coming back to him. He knows there's nothing between Neymar and Dani, but it's easy to imagine, easy to assume. They're close, so very close; the line between best friend and lover can be so very thin. "No, Leo, there's no one else... Fuck me! It might be easier if there was... He's just in a mood." Dani sighs and Leo frowns. It's a shock that Dani assumes that cheating would be easier to deal with than Neymar being nothing more than himself. It's almost like he's making a joke about something so very serious. If there was someone else, it would kill part of Leo, a far bigger part of him than he'd like to think about. It's galling that Dani is so blasé about it.

"Why?" Leo asks tentatively. He doesn't want to piss Dani off anymore than he already is, but he needs some answers, he needs a heads up on what's bothering his Kitten. If Dani is assuring him that there's no one else, there isn't. If there was Dani would say, he put all this effort into getting their relationship started, Leo can't see him walking away or letting it implode, especially if there's something making Neymar unhappy that Leo can fix. The Brazil bred bastard has proven, time and time again, that he looks out for Neymar, and will show Leo what Neymar needs from him of its in Neymar's best interests.

"Why? Jesus... Because?" Dani laughs, and Leo feels slightly uncomfortable. This is a conversation to have with a Brazil bred bastard, just not this bastard. He needs to talk to Neymar; it's clear from the evasive answer that Dani would rather that too. "A million reasons, but mostly he's bored. Boredom and Neymar are not good friends." Dani laughs again, and the next thing he says is muffled. Leo assumes that he's put his hand over the microphone in his cell to talk to Neymar. It sounds like he's trying to talk Neymar out of making pancakes. Leo can't keep from smiling, it seems his early morning call has roused Neymar from his hard-earned sleep, and now he's hungry. There's more muffled conversation, then a long pause, slight shuffling sounds coming over the speaker.

"Hello?" Neymar's voice is timidly soft, and Leo's heart starts to pound. He hates this nervous version of his Sphinx bastard. He wants this mood resolved quickly, wants Neymar back to how he should be.

"Ney... I'm-"

"S'okay. Dani told me you were worried I was banging someone behind your back." Neymar laughs, and Leo feels the ice in his veins melt a little. He's unsurprised that Dani had shared Leo's fears with Neymar, but he is surprised that instead of being furious about it, Neymar is just amused. "I don't wanna fuck anyone else, idiot." The misery in Neymar's voice lets up finally, and in its place is a gentle fondness that has Leo grinning like an idiot.

"I'm sorry, baby... It's just you've not been yourself." Leo expects some kind of ill-tempered response to calling Neymar baby but he laughs instead, the ice melting a little more.

"Dani says I'm in a mood too." Neymar laughs, and Leo closes his eyes relishing the sound of Neymar's genuinely amused chuckle. It's been so long since he's heard that laugh; he's missed it almost as much as he misses Neymar in his entirety.

"You are in a fucking mood, you miserable cunt!" Dani sounds annoyed again, and Leo has the feeling that once this call is concluded those two will not be returning to sleeping, but rather having a conversation Leo is grateful to not be part of, and possibly pancakes, which Leo would quite like, Neymar makes damn good pancakes.

"No I'm fucking well no-"

"You are, Ney..." Leo interrupts, and Neymar laughs down the line. It's so far beyond good to hear him laugh, so much better than the misery Leo had to listen to earlier. "I love you. It worries me to know you're not happy." There's a slight pause from Neymar, before he huffs a soft chuckle.

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine. Love you too. I should let you go." He sounds a little happier at least, but no matter what he says; Leo is in no doubt that he's far from fine, and that this is far from resolved.

"Wait, lemme speak to Dani, I need to apologise for waking him up." This gets another laugh from Neymar, and Leo can't keep the smile from his face, the ice in his blood utterly thawed by the sound of Neymar's happiness.

"Apologising to my Dani ? Good boy." Neymar chuckles, and Leo laughs back at him, his heart feeling so much lighter. "Danu! C'mere! Lionel wants to say sorry!" 

"Sorry?" Dani sounds more awake, and Leo steels himself for what he's about to ask. He can't let Neymar get lonely again. He and Dani need to work something out between them. 

"Stay with him. I'll be home till Monday night. Don't leave him on his own, please." Being alone is only part of the problem, but it's a big one and for now the most easy to address. When Leo's back in Paris he'll deal with the rest of the situation, but there's nothing he can do about it from Barcelona. He and Neymar need to talk, need to get to the root of this quickly, because a miserable Neymar makes for a miserable Leo, and he has no intention of being miserable, not when he's in a relationship with Neymar. This relationship is the root of all of Leo's happiness, and this whole exercise has showed him that it'd be just as easy for it to be the root of his misery too.

"Yeah... No problem, I was gonna anyways. Look, I'm gonna be gone soon, and... I've been drumming up something of a roster to keep him occupied, but seriously, force him to find a hobby or something. I'm getting sick of maudlin cunt Ney, he's a bigger asshole than the normal version. Oh! And Leo, don't forget his birthday, I know you have a match, but seriously make it... Special for him." Dani hangs up, and Leo frowns slightly. He hadn't forgotten Neymar's birthday, it's just a long ways off, so he'd not thought about it. Dani makes a good point though, this is the first major celebration they've had together, it is special, and Leo's going to have to think up something good that can be done from a distance, because he's going to be nowhere near Paris come February fifth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big fat thank you to whoever left a comment on previous chapters.


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